Shortly before sundown on Tuesday, January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. The quake was centered about ten miles west of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. At least 28 aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 or greater shook the country in the hours immediately following the quake.

“Even under ‘normal’ circumstances, Haiti struggles to care for her 9 million people. The nation is the poorest in the western hemisphere, and this latest disaster will set back many recent efforts at development,” said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in a statement Wednesday morning. “I urge your concrete and immediate prayers in the form of contributions to Episcopal Relief & Development, who are already working with the Diocese of Haiti to send aid where it is most needed.”

To donate to the Haiti Fund, visit www.er-d.org or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Please put “Haiti Fund” in the memo line of all checks. In addition, Episcopal Relief & Development is preparing a bulletin insert, which will be available on its website.

PROVINCE II: Bishops issue declaration on the Haiti earthquake
The bishops of Province II have issued the following declaration in response to news about the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The declaration also follows in French.

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop on disaster in Haiti
I urge your prayers for those who have died, been injured, and are searching for loved ones – and I urge your concrete and immediate prayers in the form of contributions to Episcopal Relief & Development, who are already working with the Diocese of Haiti to send aid where it is most needed.