Regarding individuals arriving from Haiti for medical attention

Written on March 11th, 2010

Centers for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO): Cindy Mann, Director

CMSO Contact:  Chris Gerhardt; 410-786-0693; Christine.gerhardt@cms.hhs.gov

In response to the current earthquake disaster in Haiti we are providing the following information for you to share with your State Medicaid Agencies.  The following questions and answers apply exclusively to people arriving in the United States from Haiti as a result of the earthquake and subsequent humanitarian disaster.

Download the questions and answers.

A Lenten Letter from Episcopal Diocese of Haiti – Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin

Written on March 5th, 2010

‘The earthquake has not destroyed our hope in the future’

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Seven weeks after we were hit by the 7.0 earthquake on the Richter scale, the situation is still very serious in Haiti.

As you know, many people were killed, perhaps as many as 300,000. Thousands and thousands of others have been injured. In the Church, we have lost many people. Millions of Haitians have no place to live; many are sleeping in the streets in tents, and some of them still have not found any shelter at all. All the infrastructure of the country, as well as all the key institutions of the Diocese, have been destroyed, especially in the capital of Port au Prince. The situation is very difficult.

Many of our famous churches are gone, especially Holy Trinity Cathedral, which was not only a place of worship, but a place of culture. The Cathedral was a very important institution for the whole country. Yes, it has been physically destroyed, but our faith is still here and our communities are still alive. The earthquake has not destroyed our hope in the future. Despite the difficulties we face, many of our parishes have grown larger since the earthquake, because more and more people trust our Church and are turning to us for help spiritually, socially and morally.

We are still a strong Church and we will continue to work with you in partnership to be able to build up the Kingdom of God on earth through evangelism, education, health care and our development programs. We will work together to preach a holistic Gospel so that human beings may become more fully human in the face of God.

We will have to rebuild all of our communities. We in the Diocese are working very hard to have a Master Plan to replace the physical structures of the Church, so that we may continue to serve Haitian people with the same love, the same care, and the same support that we have always shown. Our mission will not change. We pray that God will continue to give us strength to do all this work despite so many difficulties. We ask you to please be patient and wait for our guidance as we put together this plan so that we can determine how our resources can be used most effectively. Once we have made our decisions, we will announce the plan. To assist us in using all of our resources in the best possible way, and to provide the best accounting of donations, I ask all of our partners in traditional programs to resume sending donations through the Partnership Program. The fastest and safest way to do this is by wiring the money into the Partnership Program account; the Rev. Kesner Ajax, Partnership Program Coordinator, can provide that information to any who require it.

I am grateful for all of the support and assistance of the Church Center and especially of the Presiding Bishop and Primate, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori. Her visit to us in February, even though it was short, gave us great strength here in Haiti, and I am deeply thankful for our time together. We appreciate very much the willingness of the Church Center to continue to work with us in the Master Plan to rebuild the Diocese.

In addition, I give thanks for the visit of the Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon, Bishop Suffragan of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, who is visiting right now on the Presiding Bishop’s behalf. I also give thanks to all of the bishops and dioceses of The Episcopal Church for their prayers and support, and for telling our story. Some of them have been directly involved in supporting me and my wife, Edithe, during our difficult time; all of our family is especially thankful for this.

Special thanks must be given to Episcopal Relief & Development; all of us are grateful for its assistance and work in providing us food, shelter, water, medicines and all other forms of support to help us survive these difficult times.

In addition, it was very good to receive the Most Rev. Thabo Cecil Makgoba, Primate of Cape Town, and the Rt. Rev. Laish Boyd, Bishop of Nassau and The Bahamas, who are visiting at this moment. I also give thanks to all other bishops and archbishops of the Anglican Communion who have expressed their support to us.

The earthquake of Jan. 12 was our baptism; now is our new creation. In this new creation, we pray to all work together, and we ask that you give us the time we need, first to care for our people, then to rebuild the Kingdom.

In this Lenten season, the season of repentance, conversion and intense prayers, we ask you to remember our Diocese and all the people of Haiti in this difficult moment. We also ask you to continue to support us by your prayers and your gifts, so that by Eastertide, we will be able to sing together with great joy, “Alleluia! He is Risen!”

I bid you my blessings for this holy season.

Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin
Episcopal Diocese of Haiti

Haiti Earthquake Aftermath Montage

Written on February 22nd, 2010

Haiti Earthquake Aftermath Montage from Khalid Mohtaseb on Vimeo.

Processing and coping with the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti

Written on February 18th, 2010

Three education resources to help people process and respond to Haiti: adult, youth and children:
» www.LeaderResources.org/Haitiadult,
» www.LeaderResources.org/Haitiyouth and
» www.LeaderResources.org/Haitichildren

Facts about the Diocese of Haiti and the aftermath of the earthquake

Written on February 18th, 2010

The world continues to watch after a devastating 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of Haiti, with the death toll mounting each day.  The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Relief & Development responded immediately.  The following is a fact sheet about the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.

» Read More

The Presiding Bishop writes of the “Long Lent in Haiti”

Written on February 17th, 2010

Haiti and her people are just beginning to grieve. The relief work will continue for some months. The rebuilding will require years, and it will need the efforts of the world. The world will do well to learn more about the historic injustices in Haiti and her people’s long suffering endurance.

Together we must ponder and strategize how best to assist Haiti in rebuilding the nation, under direction from the people of Haiti. The goal must be a free and more self-sufficient nation, which will not come from first-world direction of the rebuilding efforts. Resisting our own desires to rush in and fix, rather than act as servants and partners, will be the biggest challenge.

» Read More

Madame Duracin recovering from surgery

Written on February 17th, 2010

Madame Duracin, wife of The Episcopal Bishop of Haiti Jean Zaché Duracin, underwent successful surgery Thursday morning at Tampa General Hospital in Florida for injuries sustained in the earthquake. The doctors report they were pleased with the results. They are now working to transfer her from ICU to a regular hospital room. The Duracins’ son, James, is with her, and is making certain that she is well cared for. The Very Rev. Randy Hehr, dean of the Tampa Deanery in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, is seeing to the needs of the Duracin family at the moment.

– The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley

The Episcopal Church Appointed Missionary in Haiti Assistant to Bishop Duracin, Partnership Program and Development, Diocese of Haiti

Bishop Duracin Discusses the Needs of the Haitian People in the Aftermath of the Earthquake

Written on February 5th, 2010

Following the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working closely with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti to assist survivors. In this video, Bishop Duracin thanks Episcopal Relief & Development and discusses the amount of need that still exists in the Diocese of Haiti.

“You see the disaster that we have here.  You see College St. Pierre, how it is.  We thank ERD who have come here to try to help with this.  Because everything has been destroyed, so we are in this situation where the Diocese of Haiti needs everyone.  We need everyone.  We need the whole church to help us to rebuild the country.  And now, we are taking care of so many people who are on the campus – so we are in very, very serious need.”

To assist those suffering in the wake of this disaster, donate online to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti fund or call 1.800.334.7626, ext. 5129. Checks with “Haiti fund” in the memo line can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058 Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.

Continue to visit the Haiti crisis page for the most up-to-date information.

Bethany school students in Cinncinati help for Haiti

Written on February 4th, 2010

 Help for Haiti

Bethany collected over 2000 items. Shown here 7th and 8th graders show some of the goods collected.

Episcopal Relief & Development Collaborating on Earthquake Response in Haiti

Written on February 2nd, 2010

In the wake of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working closely with local partners to assist those most impacted by this disaster. It is estimated that one in three Haitians were affected by the quake, roughly three million people. 

In the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, Episcopal Relief & Development is offering technical support and funds to help secure critical supplies for those in need. In addition to supplying food and water, the agency has secured vehicles to assist the diocese in delivering supplies, fuel for those vehicles and camping supplies to provide shelter. These efforts are expanding the diocese’s capacity to help the 25,000 survivors who are currently residing in 23 diocesan camps. Episcopal Relief & Development is also helping the diocese increase its capacity and human resources by enabling them to hire camp liaisons and logistics personnel.

Read More »

From WPRI-PVD (CBS) – Providence, RI – Bishop Gerayln Wolf

Written on February 1st, 2010

Bishop Wolf speaks about the situation in Haiti. Watch the video here.

Sisters of St. Margaret: United in Solidarity

Written on February 1st, 2010

The Sisters of St. Margaret is an Episcopal order of nuns with mission houses in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in Boston and at Trinity Wall Street. After the earthquake of January 12, 2010, the sisters in Haiti lost their convent, school and home for the elderly. While their buildings are gone, their ministy continues.

Watch an audio slide show here (via Trinity Wall Street)

Bishop Holguin Discusses Relief Work in the Aftermath of the Haiti Quake

Written on January 29th, 2010

Following the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working with the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic to assist survivors.  In these videos, Bishop Holguin from the Diocese of the Dominican Republic speaks about this important relief and recovery work.  These videos were filmed on January 21, 2010.

Watch here:

Assistance to Earthquake Survivors Continues

Written on January 29th, 2010

Over two weeks since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, the scope of the death and destruction is staggering.  The most recent estimates indicate that roughly 200,000 deaths and 194,000 injuries have occurred.  At least one million people have been left homeless and in need of temporary shelter.  

While the number of deaths and injuries has grown substantially since the quake, so has the number of people the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and Episcopal Relief & Development are helping:  over 25,000 survivors in 23 camps.

“It is because of the incredible network already in place in the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti that such a large response to this crisis is possible,” said Katie Mears, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Program Manager for USA Disaster Preparedness and Response, who has been working on the ground in affected areas.

With support from Episcopal Relief & Development, the Diocese of Haiti is reaching more and more people each day.  Prior to the earthquake, there was an ongoing training program run by the Diocese in partnership with Episcopal Relief & Development.  The Diocesan Development Officer and 28 development agents for Haiti, who participated in this training, are currently working to conduct needs assessments and set priorities for ongoing relief and recovery efforts.

“It is very fortunate that our existing partnership with the Diocese of Haiti included the development of a network of agents familiar with local communities and also with disaster-response techniques,” said Matt St. John, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Program Officer for Latin American and the Caribbean.  “The presence of these development agents has been crucial to the effective delivery of aid.” 

In addition to distributing critical food and medical supplies to communities throughout Haiti, the agents recently convened at the tent camp of St. Pierre College in Port-au-Prince to receive training on the use of emergency water purification systems.  Following this training, the agents will deliver the purifiers to rural communities and work with community leaders to ensure they are properly educated about the purifiers’ maintenance.

“This is one example of how we are leveraging the established network to provide critical supplies to as many people as possible,” said Mears.

Episcopal Relief & Development is continuing to work in partnership with the Episcopal Dioceses of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, IMA World Health and Worldwide Village to reach those most in need.

“Episcopal Relief & Development’s capacity to respond is strengthened by the incredible team of community health workers, clergy, development agents and lay leaders that are integral members of the communities throughout the country,” continued Mears.  “We are providing the tools they need to facilitate a long-term response to this disaster.”

For the most up-to-date information and access to resources, visit www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis.  Included on this page are video statements from Bishop Duracin <http://www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis#Duracin>  and Bishop Holguin <http://www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis#Holguin> .  Additional resources such as downloadable bulletin inserts <http://www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis#bulletin>  and photos <http://www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis#photos>  are also available.

To assist those suffering in the wake of this disaster, please consider making a donation to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti fund <http://haiti%20fund/>  at www.er-d.org <http://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 write “Haiti fund” in the memo of all checks.

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States and an independent 501(c)(3) organization.   The agency takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.

Diocese of Central New York

Written on January 28th, 2010

As of January 24 the Diocese of Central New York has collected
$22,600 from parishes and individuals around the diocese. This
includes response generated from an article in the Syracuse newspaper
and an appeal from a north country radio station owned by an
Episcopalian. This does not include individual donations sent
directly to the Episcopal Relief & Development website.

Diocese Pledges Support to Haiti Relief and Tehran Nursing Home

Written on January 28th, 2010

The Diocese of Fond du Lac has pledged almost $6,000 to support efforts in Haiti and Iran. Meeting January 21st, the Executive Council approved release of $5,839 in equal amounts to both Episcopal Relief and Development (er-d.org) for Haiti Relief and to the Chaldean Diocese of Tehran for the Tehran Home, a nursing home run by Chaldean nuns and laypeople.

Wall Street Journal Art Trove Is Among Nation’s Losses

Written on January 28th, 2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703837004575013022647688144.html

Meriter surgeon helps Haiti’s desperate Madison.com, WI

Written on January 28th, 2010

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_39a351c2-0af6-11df-a2eb-001cc4c002e0.html

PBS NewsHour – Father LaFontant – Taking care of the survivors

Written on January 28th, 2010

http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2675&DateTime=1%2F27%2F2010+2%3A41%3A27+AM&Term=episcopal&PlayClip=TRUEhttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2675&DateTime=1%2F27%2F2010+2%3A41%3A27+AM&Term=episcopal&PlayClip=TRUE

Episcopal missionary to share her hope for Haiti

Written on January 28th, 2010

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/012010/01282010/523400

Réflexions sur la catastrophe du 12 Janvier en Haïti…

Written on January 24th, 2010

From the Diocese of Haiti website:

On est aux abois mais ferme dans la foi. C’est ce cri qui est sorti des  entrailles de Monseigneur Jean Zaché Duracin, évêque de l’Eglise Episcopale d’Haiti après la constatation de cette  catastrophe dévastatrice de ce mardi 12 Janvier dans l’après midi; dâte qui va être marquée à jamais dans la mémoire des haïtiens et des habitants du monde entier. 12 janvier, vers les 4 :53 dans l’après-midi, est le début d’une autre tranche dans l’histoire de cette république appelée

plus d’infos 

Minnesota kids’ artwork raises funds for Episcopal Relief & Development in Haiti

Written on January 23rd, 2010

I launched the Color 4 a Cause project to support relief efforts in Haiti. But picking a specific charity was hard—there are a lot of groups doing great work in Haiti. In the end I opted to support the efforts of my own church, Messiah Episcopal Church, which will be passing donations on to Episcopal Relief & Development. I wanted to support my church’s long history of partnership with organizations in Haiti. We support native Haitians and can contribute both to emergency relief and long term reconstruction. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and of a population of 9 million there are 1.2 million orphans. Haiti needed committed partnerships before the earthquake and will need them after the quake more than ever.

Overview of Messiah’s Partnership
Messiah Episcopal Church of St. Paul, Minn., has supported a number of projects and organizations in Haiti going back to 1990 when we sent our first missions trip and connected with Father Elie Charles.

A few of the organizations/ministries we currently support:

• Epiphanie School in L’Acul. We helped build the school, provide annual scholarship drives for the students and help pay teacher salaries. No update on any of our projects in L’Acul.
• A guesthouse at the St. Croix Parish in Leogane. We’ve donated a tithe of our building project to help build this guesthouse. Some buildings were destroyed in Leogane, but not all of them. We have heard reports that several hundred people spend each night on the soccer field, praying, singing and sharing meals, while two of the priests we’ve partnered with minister to them.
• Foyer Notre Dame, a home for older women in Port au Prince, which is run by the Sisters of St. Margaret. The current update is that part of the building collapsed but the women and Sisters are safe.
• St. Vincent School for Handicapped Children in Port au Prince. The school is destroyed, but thankfully the children are safe.
• Nick and Madeleine Avignon, who run COFHED in the village of Lougou. The Avignons split their time between the Twin Cities and Haiti and were in the Twin Cities when the quake struck. They have been blogging updates as they try to connect with friends, family and the staff and students they serve.

We’ve also had a number of missions trips over the years, working with the various projects, the first back in 1990 and the most recent in 2008. We’ve also supported other projects in Haiti over the years, including a Goats for Christmas campaign and the Holy Trinity School in Port au Prince, which was destroyed in the quake.

Haiti Relief Donations
Messiah will be collecting donations for Haiti and passing them along to Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD). As Messiah rector John Newton noted in a recent e-mail, “They are directly involved with the church in Haiti and will be able to put the funds to immediate use.” You can read more about ERD’s current efforts in Haiti here. You can follow Color 4 a Cause on Twitter

- Kevin D. Hendricks

Haiti Response From Chicago

Written on January 21st, 2010

Yesterday I received a call from the State Department of Family Services concerning the arrival of 84 teens from Haiti into Chicago, we responded with a needs list of items needed within the next 24 hours. As of noon today a total of 174 Haitians have arrived into Chicago many are teens pending adoption.

There continue to be concerns around clean water for Haiti and when the time is possible I am willing to work with the National office to take the water Chlorinator into Haiti. A team of three members of our Diocese is planning to do this at the right time.

A team of doctors and building engineers left yesterday from the Diocese of Connecticut and is heading to the Good Samaritan School in Carrefour.

There are 43,000 Haitians living in Chicago and efforts are underway to establish a task force to address some of the short and long term issues with Haiti beyond this emergency recovery

Phillip Mantle

Diocesan Jubilee Officer, Chicago

Relief Efforts Continue in Haiti After Earthquake

Written on January 21st, 2010

Over a week since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, the nation is still being affected by large aftershocks, including a 6.1-magnitude event yesterday morning.  However, the continued geological events are only one challenge facing those trying to provide relief in Haiti.

Despite the efforts of international aid organizations, food, water and other critical resources are still greatly needed by many residents of Port-au-Prince and other parts of the country.  Congested runways and ports have made it difficult to get materials into Haiti, and while the situation is slowly improving, lack of available fuel continues to hinder the transport of available supplies to those in need.   

“We’ve been working closely with the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic to get shipments into Haiti on a daily basis,” said Kirsten Muth, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Senior Program Director, who is currently working on the ground with Katie Mears, Program Manager for USA Disaster Preparedness and Response. 

“We are also using helicopter support from our partner Worldwide Village to provide medical supplies and food to affected rural communities and parishes, including Gressier, Grand Colline and Trouin,” said Mears.  “The team here has also recently secured additional transport vehicles, which are allowing us to deliver more supplies and reach a larger number of people.  Relief efforts are expanding daily.” 

By collaborating with diocesan staff in the Dominican Republic to secure vehicles and create channels through which they can help those most impacted by this disaster, Episcopal Relief & Development is establishing a long-term response mechanism that can continue to operate efficiently as the recovery process gets underway in the coming weeks and months. 

In addition to assisting with daily supply shipments, Episcopal Relief & Development is working to stabilize communications through the provision of satellite phones and solar power chargers.

The satellite phones will enable coordination of efforts between dioceses and increase Episcopal Relief & Development’s ability to communicate with Bishop Duracin and his colleagues as they serve the thousands of survivors that have congregated in their tent camp in Port-au-Prince.  Maintaining these channels of communication will also be crucial during the recovery process. 

“The infrastructure of the church, even where damaged and wounded, represents an amazing network of people, skills and resources,” said Muth.  “It is important that we continue to support the people of Haiti as they take the lead in the nation’s recovery.”

While they face enormous challenges, the Haitian clergy are immensely grateful for the prayers and support coming from the United States.  In a letter to the Episcopal Church, the Rev. Lauren Stanley, The Episcopal Church Appointed Missionary to Haiti, writes, “On behalf of the Bishop of Haiti, the Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, first let me say Mèsi anpil, thank you very much, for your love, your prayers, your support, your generosity and your kindness.”

The letter also states that while the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is appreciative of the compassion and concerns of Episcopalians in the US, Bishop Duracin is discouraging mission trips at this time.

“I believe the best course of action right now is to pray, to be generous in your financial assistance and to begin praying about how you can respond in the future,” continues Stanley.  “Please know that Bishop Duracin is counting on everyone here to work together, to help the people and to be faithful. Together, we WILL help God’s beloved children in Haiti.”

To assist those suffering in the wake of this disaster, please consider making a donation to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti fund at 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 write “Haiti” in the memo of all checks.

Wall Street Journal speaks with Episcopal Bishop Duracin in Haiti

Written on January 21st, 2010

January 21, 2010 Wall Street Journal video with Episcopal Bishop Duracin

A message from the Rev. Canon Dr. Charles Robertson

Written on January 20th, 2010

Here is a message from Robertson:

 It has come to our attention that someone purporting to be Bishop Zache Duracin might be sending out fraudulent emails in his name, asking for financial donations.  Please do not respond with funds unless you are absolutely certain that the sender is who he or she claims to be.  At this time, the far safer way to support the people of Haiti is through Episcopal Relief & Development. 

 It is sad that such times of great need often provide opportunities for deceitful persons to attempt to gain.  Our goal is to ensure that the people of Haiti are supported in a secure manner. 

 The Rev. Canon C. K. Robertson, Ph.D.

Canon to the Presiding Bishop & Primate

The Episcopal Church

Update from Health and Human Services

Written on January 20th, 2010

United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Washington, D.C. has asked Jacksonville, FL-based nonprofit FreshMinistries and its international arm, Be The Change International (BTCI), to coordinate a large-scale effort to bring desperately needed doctors, medical technicians, translators and pharmaceuticals to Haiti in the aftermath of last week’s catastrophic earthquake.

The Rev. Dr. Robert V. Lee, chairman of FreshMinistries and BTCI, has been leading the way in the pooling of resources since HHS contacted him.  Dr. Lee has long-standing relationships with the Episcopal Church in Haiti and close ties with the Haitian government and will be flying to Haiti as soon as possible to help organize the relief efforts and resources as they are administered, helping align them to meet the needs of this major response.

Coordinating the relief efforts on the ground in Haiti will be BTCI’s NGO subsidiary, Be The Change Haiti (BTCH).

The Rev. Oge Beauvoir, head of BTCH and Haitian dean of Bureau Anglican de l’Education en Haiti (BAEH), which operates 254 Episcopal Haitian schools, has so far rounded up 41 Haitian physicians and 37 translators.  Beauvoir, who escaped harm during the earthquake, has also offered the BAEH school buildings for use in administering aid and coordinating further relief efforts.

Merck Pharmaceuticals, which is working with FreshMinistries, is preparing to make pharmaceutical donations.  Another donor is offering 46,000 doses of the antibiotic Doxycycline.

John “Jack” Logue, Haitian outreach coordinator and former administrator at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, has an orthopedic surgical team ready to fly in to Haiti.  He is also assisting by putting out a call for more physicians and medical techs.

In addition, those networking to round up resources are: Jay Millson, EVP of the Duval County Medical Society; Pam Chally, PhD, Dean of the UNF Brooks College of Health; Robert Harmon, MD, Director of the Duval County Health Department; Mt. Sinai Hospital; Trinity Wall Street; Baptist Medical Center; Memorial Medical; Shands Florida; Mayo Clinic; Dr. Yank Coble, distinguished professor and Director of the Center for Global Health and Medical Diplomacy, University of North Florida and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Florida; as well as many other churches and hospitals from New York to Houston.

Update on Haiti

Written on January 20th, 2010

The U.S. Geological Survey reports a 6.1-magnitude aftershock to last week's
earthquake has struck Haiti

Volunteers discouraged from traveling to Haiti

Written on January 19th, 2010

There are a number of inquiries about volunteering.  Here’s the bottom line:

• Episcopal Relief & Development discourages all volunteer travel to Haiti for the foreseeable future.  The situation is very unstable and safety and security cannot be guaranteed.
• The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is fully occupied with ministering to its members and is not in a position to host volunteers at this time.
• At some point in the future, Episcopal Relief & Development may consider organizing volunteers to go to Haiti.  We will publicize those opportunities when and if it becomes appropriate.
• In the meantime, please collect names of those who may be interested and hold on to them so that when the time is right and a call goes out, you can be in touch with people.
   

Live webcast tonight @6pm: Strength through Unity — L’Union fait la Force: A Service of Prayer for Haiti

Written on January 17th, 2010

Tonight, join us for a live webcast from The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The interfaith prayer service is dedicated to those affected by the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

Here’s their description of the event:

Join us for a service of music and prayer for the victims, families, and survivors of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. The offering will benefit relief efforts in Haiti. The service will feature prayers from interfaith representatives and a Haitian folksong sung by countertenor Jean-Luc Princivil. More details will be forthcoming.

• The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, offering a sermon;
• Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane, offering the invocation;
• Auxiliary Bishop of Washington Barry C. Knestout, representing the Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington;
• Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, offering the welcome; and
• The Cathedral Choir of Men and Girls
• Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
• His Excellency Raymond Joseph, Haitian ambassador to the U.S.

Watch it here: http://www.nationalcathedral.org/webcasts/sunday.shtml

and here: http://video1.cathedral.org/nave

Facts about the Diocese of Haiti and the aftermath of the earthquake

Written on January 16th, 2010

The world continues to watch after a devastating 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of Haiti, with the death toll mounting each day.  The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Relief & Development responded immediately.  The following fact sheet will assist in your continued reporting of the Haiti earthquake.

Facts:
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is part of The Episcopal Church.
http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org/

The Rt. Rev. Zache Duracin is Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.  He is unharmed; his wife suffered an injury to her foot.

The Episcopal Church in Haiti has lost a cathedral, convent, Holy Trinity Complex, College St. Pierre, and a Jubilee Center.

The Episcopal Church’s three missionaries who were in Haiti are all accounted for – Mallory Holding, Jude Harmon, and Oge Beauvoir, who is the dean of the Theological Seminary, along with his wife Serette.

The Diocesan offices are located in Port-au-Prince.

Episcopal Relief & Development has disbursed emergency funding to the Diocese of Haiti to help meet critical needs such as food, water and shelter for those affected. Donations can be made to Episcopal Relief & Development by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129.  https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php .Episcopal Relief & Development has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau.

Bulletin inserts from Episcopal Relief & Development are available in both Spanish and English.
http://www.er-d.org/BulletinInsertsCT/

Haiti is the largest and fastest-growing diocese in The Episcopal Church. There are over 83,000 Episcopalians in Haiti.
2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf
(Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics)
�
There are 97 Episcopal churches in Haiti.
2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf
(Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics)

This number reflects 115 congregations and communities of faith
(Source: 2009 Episcopal Church Annual)

In 2008, the diocese celebrated over 200 child and adult baptisms, and over 700 child and adult confirmations.
2008_Table_of_Statistics_of_the_Episcopal_Church.pdf
(Source: The Episcopal Church Research Statistics)

From Rob Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief & Development

Written on January 16th, 2010

Haiti: The Three “Rs” of Disasters

It is important to remember that all disasters have a life cycle:  “The Three Rs of Disasters.”

Right now, we are in the “Rescue” phase.  All hands are on deck to save lives and property.  This phase involves finding and treating the immediate medical needs of survivors and stabilizing ongoing hazards, such as shifting buildings. As such, it is best left to the heavy lifters – government and military search and rescue teams. These groups also have heavy equipment that can clear roads and debris, as well as large specialized operations with mass distribution systems that have pre-positioned warehouses.   The “Rescue” phase typically lasts a week, but with the extraordinary logistical hurdles being faced in Haiti, it may take longer.

The next phase is the “Relief” phase, where the focus is on creating temporary safe and sanitary conditions.  As I saw in Katrina, the church is often one of the first places people go to seek assistance and shelter.  We have already heard that in rural and outlying areas around the earthquake zone, existing clinics are seeing patients who have been able to get out of Port-au-Prince. Some of these clinics are expanding patient care to schools and church buildings.  The “Relief” phase typically lasts a few months.

Finally, we get to the third and final phase: “Recovery.”  During recovery the emphasis shifts to restoring services, rebuilding houses and buildings, and returning, to self-sufficiency.   The Diocese of Haiti has a very large and vibrant social infrastructure and we fully expect that Episcopal Relief & Development will be there for the long haul supporting their important and vibrant ministries. 

The challenge of the “Recovery” phase is that most of the television cameras have moved on, but the human suffering has grown.  It is a chronic state, not a crisis.  However, it is the phase that Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners excel at, because we work with churches that are part of the communities and know the needs best and how to meet them.  This phase will last years.   The unmet needs in a place like Haiti – which already struggles with immense, chronic poverty – will be monumental.

Right now Episcopal Relief & Development is focused on preparing for the “Relief” phase and securing the resources for the “Recovery” phase.

For more information on the Haiti earthquake and on Episcopal Relief & Development’s response, please visit www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis.

A prayer on the occasion of a disaster, from General Convention 2009

Written on January 16th, 2010

Compassionate God, whose Son Jesus wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus: Draw near to us in this time of sorrow and anguish, comfort those who mourn, strengthen those who are weary, encourage those in despair, and lead us all to fullness of life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

A statement from the Primate on the disaster in Haiti Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Anglican Church of Canada

Written on January 16th, 2010

January 13, 2010 -
Haiti has been devastated by a terrible earthquake. Thousands are feared to have died and many more injured. The people in Haiti have suffered so much in the past 10 years. Hurricane Jeanne ripped through the island in 2004 and in 2008 tropical storms took a huge toll. Now a new disaster. Through the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, our church has made an initial donation of $15,000 for emergency relief through Action by Churches Together (ACT).

The Anglican Church of Canada and especially the Diocese of Montreal has had a long relationship with the Anglican Church of Haiti, personalized in many respects by Canon Ogé Beauvoir, the dean of the theological seminary in Haiti. A graduate of Montreal Diocesan College, he went to Haiti in 1991 as a Volunteer in Mission. In 1996, he returned to Canada to serve as regional mission coordinator for Africa and the Middle East. He returned to Haiti, where he was born, in 2004. We are grateful to know that he and his wife Serette are safe.

Please pray for the people of Haiti as they struggle with such devastation and grief.

Please remember as well their relative in Canada and the Canadian Haitian community many of whom anxiously await news of friends, relatives and loved ones.

Please give generously to increase our support for relief efforts.

I make this appeal in the name of Christ in his compassion for all who suffer.

+Fred

Good news to end a very rough week

Written on January 15th, 2010

The White House has just agreed to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians in the United States. This has been an advocacy push for TEC for more than a decade — and while the circumstances that made it happen are heartbreaking — we can rejoice that this will save many lives now and in the future.

Thanks to all for everything this week.

Alex

Virginia Theological Seminary

Written on January 15th, 2010

Here’s a link to our page (what we have so far): http://www.vts.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=126552

A letter from Bonnie Anderson

Written on January 15th, 2010

Dear Deputies and First Alternates,
Our sisters and brothers in Haiti are held in prayer by each of us. The disaster they are facing is
devastating-it is estimated that roughly three million people have been affected.

Episcopal Relief and Development is in touch with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, a member diocese of
Province II of The Episcopal Church. The agency is being regularly informed of critical needs as they are
identified. The Diocese of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, is a member of Province IX of
The Episcopal Church and is working closely with Episcopal Relief and Development to overcome the
logistical challenges caused by impassable roads and compromised infrastructure.

Deputies, Alternates, your help is needed. Donate now. Your donation will be used immediately by
Episcopal Relief and Development to assist those suffering in the wake of this disaster with basic needs
and in the coming months and years as they work to recover and rebuild. Donate ANY amount. Every
dollar helps. Act now, please.

Here is how to donate:
Go to:  https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php

• Click on Haiti
• Fill in the amount you would like to donate.
• Click on continue.
• Fill out your contact information.
• Complete your payment information.
• Click on Finish.

You may also send a check made to:

Episcopal Relief and Development
Episcopal Church Center
PO Box 7058
Merrifield, VA 22116-7058
Write “Haiti” in the memo line.

Donations can also be made over the phone by calling 1.800.334.7626 ext.5129

For the most up to date information, continue visiting www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis.

Pray for the people of Haiti, their loved ones and those who are alone.

In peace and thanksgiving for your prayers and generosity,

Bonnie Anderson, D.D.
President, The House of Deputies

Update from The Rev. Lauren Stanley

Written on January 15th, 2010

The Rev. Lauren Stanley – more information on Haiti.  Her website: http://GoIntoTheWorld.net

Update from Rhode Island

Written on January 15th, 2010

How can Rhode Island help? 

• Join us for “Music and Prayers for Haiti; A Benefit for Earthquake Relief” at 4pm on Sunday January 24^th at the Cathedral of St. John, 271 North Main Street, Providence, RI. The evening will include music from a variety of Episcopal Choirs and brief comments from two Haitian speakers.  Donation offerings will be collected, make all checks out to Episcopal Charities, with “Haiti” noted on the Memo line. Email liz@episcopalri.org for more information. All proceeds will go to the earthquake relief initiatives of Episcopal Relief & Development and the Society of St. Margaret in Haiti.

Recommended Places to Donate:

• Donate to Episcopal Relief & Development online at https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php or by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129.   ERD has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau.
• Donate to The Episcopal Charities of Rhode Island’s Haiti Fund by calling (401)-274-4500 x234 peggy@episcopalri.org
• Donate to the Sisters of St. Margaret, http://www.ssmbos.com/Pages/Haiti.html or mail a check to The Society of St. Margaret, 17 Highland Park Street, Boston, MA 02119

Raise Awareness in your parish and beyond:

• Place a link to Episcopal Relief & Development on your congregation’s home page. http://www.er-d.org   
• Check for updates on the Haiti page on Episcopal Relief & Development website http://www.er-d.org/HaitiEarthquakeResponse and our Diocesan blog www.episcopalri.blogspot.com
• Share this information on Sunday and in your bulletin inserts. Bulletin inserts from Episcopal Relief & Development are available in both Spanish and English. http://www.er-d.org/BulletinInsertsCT/  
• Please do not encourage anyone to travel to Haiti, as priority must be given to first responders and a few relief agencies so as not to over-burden the already compromised infrastructure.  

Thank you for all that you do in our Church.

Peace,

Ruth Meteer

Communications Officer

Update on YASC Missionary Mallory Holding from David Copley

Written on January 15th, 2010

I have just spoken very briefly to Mallory Holding (one of our YASC missionaries), she is in New Jersey.

Jude Harmon was with her at the Embassy in Port au Prince but could not travel with her because he did not have his passport so will need to go through some more red tape before he can return.

The phone call was on a borrowed cell phone and was very short; we have no other information at this time.
David

Diocese of Chicago launches Haiti response page

Written on January 15th, 2010

http://www.episcopalchicago.org/congregation-resources/DisasterResponseResources.cfm

Comments from the President to Faith Based Partners

Written on January 14th, 2010

Partners:

Thank you for your display of compassion and generosity toward the Haitian people, which will be needed throughout the earthquake response and recovery effort.   If you are looking for specific ways to help, the most effective ways right now to support the individuals and families of Haiti are through cash donations and support in locating family members.  Additionally, many Haitian Americans have lost loved ones.  Reaching out to the Haitian American community in your area to offer support is another way to contribute during this time of loss.

LOCATING FAMILY MEMBERS:

The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.

Monetary Donations:

Monetary donations are the most effective form of assistance because they allow humanitarian organizations to purchase (often within the affected region itself) the exact type and quantity of items needed by those affected by the crisis. Read about the advantages of monetary donations.

For those interesting in helping immediately, simply text “HAITI” to “90999″ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. Or you can go online to relief organizations to make a contribution to the disaster relief efforts

Commodity Contributions

While monetary donations are preferred to commodity contributions, there may be rare instances when a commodity contribution would be of value to relief operations.

• See a list of conditions which are necessary to ensure that a commodity contribution is appropriate.
• Read about handling appropriate commodity contributions.
• If a commodity collection has already been made, but there are problems identifying a need in the affected region for the commodities or an organization to accept them, read about some alternate ideas.

Volunteering

Volunteer opportunities in disaster settings are extremely rare, and are usually limited to people with prior disaster experience and technical skills (such as health, engineering, etc). To register your skills and experience for a possible volunteer opportunity, go to the Center for International Disaster Information’s registration page. For opportunities to volunteer overseas in non-disaster settings, visit Serve.gov. Or read about Volunteers for Prosperity, a volunteer program managed by USAID. For more information on volunteering, visit InterAction.

Again, thank you for your concern for the people of Haiti.

Update on the family of Samuel and Helena Mbele-Mbong

Written on January 14th, 2010

“I spoke to Samuel and Helena Mbele-Mbong in Geneva, late last night, and again this evening. I am sure that you know from her from her time as chair of the Standing Commission on World Mission, and her appointment to the Committee on the Status of Women. (Also a former EC missionary, and current member of Bishop Whalon’s Council on Advice / The Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe) Their daughter Lisa, who was employed with USAID has died in the collapse of the US government compound buildings. I don’t have any more details, except that she and other colleagues where attending a meeting in the basement at the time of the earthquake. Samuel has spoken to one of her surviving colleagues, who has identified her body. Lisa’s son, Nady, (9 or  10 years old) was at an after-school program at the time. Samuel reports that he has survived.”

Regards,

Jere Skipper

Update on the Petit-trou de Nippes

Written on January 14th, 2010

Good morning –

I know that many of you and your congregations with connections to the Colorado Haiti Project and Petit-trou de Nippes are anxious for news about how that region has been affected by Tuesday’s earthquake.

The Rev. Dayle Casey received an email from a Haitian friend in Petit-trou that indicates that while they felt the quake there, and there is damage to some buildings, people there are OK, and there is no damage to the building at St. Paul’s (it’s not clear if the email refers to the church or the school).  A further update on the Colorado Haiti Project’s web site (http://www.coloradohaitiproject.org/January2010Earthquake.html) indicates that there were some homes in the area destroyed, but that the St. Paul’s staff members are all unharmed.  There are people in the Petit-trou region who have lost relatives and family members in the destruction in Port-au-Prince.

Please continue to keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.  I will continue to keep the Colorado News page updated.

Peace –
Beckett

Beckett Stokes

Director of Communications

The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado

Update on the Good Samaritin School

Written on January 14th, 2010

Chris

I just received work from Ct Mona Millien was found she is ok Good Samaritan Sch is standing but badly damage. All but one teacher from that school has now been accounted for. Phillip G. Mantle

Some good news from the Rev. David Copley, Mission Personnel Director

Written on January 14th, 2010

Just received a phone call from suzi Holding, Mallory’s mother. She has just spoken to Mallory on the phone and she is well.. Camping out near seminary with students. She said jude is well although he is not with her. Mallory called on her own cell phone, call was not clear and was lost after a short time.

David

Just spoke to Jude’s grandfather. He has spoken directly with his grandson and he is safe and well and camping out on the soccer field near the seminary.

He was teaching when the earthquake hit and managed to get out along with his students before the building collapsed…

So I think we can now say with a reasonable amount of certainty that all of our missionaries are accounted for

David

The Rev. David Copley

Mission Personnel Director

Episcopal Relief & Development offers an update

Written on January 14th, 2010

Most recent update, and more details tomorrow.

I have spoken with Bishop Holguin, and we are coordinating some of our immediate response with the Diocese there.  Katie Mears, our domestic disaster person, will travel there on Saturday to work with a team including missionary.  While we are not normally involved in procurement and shipping, we probably will be in this event given supply issues.  In any case, we are working all this out as I write . . . . .

Kirsten Laursen Muth

Episcopal Relief and Development

ENS reports on a diocese getting the word out

Written on January 14th, 2010

great example of a diocese getting the ERD message out

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_704568.shtml?v=1636

Peace …

The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg

Episcopal News Service National Correspondent

Bishop Wilfredo Ramos Orench updates with news from the Dominican Republic

Written on January 14th, 2010

Finally I was able to hold a conversation with + Julio Cesar Holguin, Dominican Republic. He shared with me information vey similar to the one we have already received. He offered his diocese to be a resource as needed.

His primary concern now is how to channel inmediate assistance (water, food supplies, medicines,etc. as the situation soon will be precarious. He has received information that there may be up to 100000 casulaties plus all the injured. I indicated that so far as we are concerned the primary conduit or channel will be ERD. If strategically necessay because of geographical proximity Dominican Republic could serve as a resource center. He is offering the resources of his diocese if that were the case. No serious effects of the earthquake have been felt in D,R,

In the meantime I contacted Father Jean Eli Milien, brother in law of Bishop Zache Duracin, who is currently in Standford, CT. He confirmed the information we have at hand. His wife is in Haiti and has not been able to contact her as yet. He expects to travel back home early Sunday.

Wilfrido

The Rt. Rev. Wilfrido Ramos Orench

Partnership Officer Province IX / Oficial Compañerismo Provincia IX

Office of Government Relations updates on White House call

Written on January 14th, 2010

Here is a brief summary of the just-completed White House conference call on Haiti response.   As you’ll see, they confirm injuries to some U.S. Embassy personnel and at least three American fatalities thus far.

Welcome from Tina Tchen – Director of Public Engagement

Patrick Gaspard – Office of Political Affairs:

The devastation is beyond comprehension. There is profound sadness at the White House, though the office is proud to tell us that the U..S government is responding rapidly, directing agencies to respond in a unified effort to save lives in Haiti. USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense are working together. Focus priorities include:

-         Locating and ensuring the safety of  U.S. embassy personnel and U.S. citizens

-         Mobilizing resources for immediate rescue efforts (search-and-rescue teams from several states are being deployed)

-         Steps to begin effective coordinating efforts between U.S. government agencies and with other actors.   USAID has been designated the lead coordinator for the U.S. government.

In relation to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian refugees to the United States, the Administration continues to asses the damage and is considering TPS as an element of our response as the full scope of the situation becomes clearer.

Jim Gregg – National Security Council

There is massive damage to infrastructure in the Port-au-Prince area.  Devastation in the city is extensive, with extensive power and phone outages.  Air-traffic control is a state of emergency.   There are reports of embassy personnel who are injured and at least three American fatalities. There is extensive damage to the UN headquarters building. A most immediate priority is locating all embassy personnel and all American citizens. Four rescue teams are in route to Haiti  from Los Angeles County and from the states of Virginia and Florida.  Their main concerns will be damage assessment and the rescue and assistance of the injured.

The USAID disaster-assistance response team will arrive in one hour and will start immediately its assessment of damage and coordination of intergovernmental efforts.

The White House is encouraging American contributions through the website of InterAction.

Alexander D. Baumgarten

Director of Government Relations

and International Policy Analyst

Bishop Leo Frade updates with some new information

Written on January 14th, 2010

January 13, 2010

Haiti update from Leo Frade

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

I have been able to receive some news from Haiti. First the good news. We were able to confirm that my friend Bishop Jean Zache Duracin survived the earthquake, though his wife, Marie-Edithe, injured her foot. The bad news is that now they are homeless.

The diocesan cathedral, Cathédrale Sainte Trinité, and the entire cathedral complex, including the entire Holy Trinity School complex adjacent to the cathedral, are also gone. The Sisters of the Society of St. Margaret are safe, but their convent was destroyed. The College of St. Pierre is gone, although the apartment for the college is still standing. St. Vincent’s School for the Handicapped in Port-au-Prince, a diocesan residential school and the only one of its kind in Haiti, was reportedly destroyed.

We have also heard that Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince died in the earthquake.

In Trouin four people were killed during a service at St. Mark’s. In Grand Colline St. Matthew’s Church is gone, as well as the church in St. Etienne. The church in Les Cayes is OK, but some people were injured trying to get out of the building during the quake. The rectory in Les Cayes is in very bad condition.

I spoke with Bishop Julio Holguin from the Dominican Republic, who said his diocese is beginning to coordinate its help for the Church in Haiti. He said that he was able to see Bishop Duracin in a news report that showed him trying to dig people out of the ruins.

I will keep you posted as soon as I receive further reports. Please pray for the people of Haiti, and don’t forget your brothers and sisters of our Haitian congregations in Southeast Florida that have no news from their families on the island. Archdeacon Fritz Bazin and other Haitian clergy are working very hard trying to make contact with our church and families in Haiti.

We are planning a diocesan service of prayer for Haiti on Jan. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines.

Blessings,

+Leo

Episcopal Relief & Development’s Bulletin Inserts for congregations looking to help

Written on January 14th, 2010

Hello all,

I have attached the half-page version of the Haiti bulletin insert here.  It is also available for download on our website:

Half page – http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/haiti_insert_halfpage.pdf

Full page - http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/haiti_insert_fullpage.pdf

I have also attached a copy of our logo in case anyone wants to include it with a link.

Suggested Text:  “To make a donation and assist Episcopal Relief & Development in helping those affected by the earthquake in Haiti, click here.”

The link to the press release is www.er-d.org/HaitiEarthquakeResponse

We will continue updating our website as new information becomes available.

Best,

Tyla

and some more info…

Sorry, I meant to include this.  Here is link to the page where the inserts are available for download.

http://www.er-d.org/BulletinInsertsCT/

Best,

Tyla

Tyla Fowler

Communications Assistant
Episcopal Relief & Development

The Rev. Kesner Ajax reports in on the damage to the church in Port Au Prince

Written on January 14th, 2010

Phillip just called back. He just spoke with Jean Millien, husband of the principal (Marie “Mona” Millien) of Ecole Le Bon Samaritan in Carrefour. He came to Bridgeport CT last week for medical procedures and is also brother in law of Bishop Duracin. He has not heard from her, but did speak with Bp Duracin. The bishop’s home was destroyed, he was not injured, but his wife was injured, though reportedly nothing serious.

Phillip’s contact earlier this morning was Tony St. Peir, who is a resident in the village of Carreforu.

Chris

The Rev. Christopher A. Johnson

Domestic Justice and Jubilee Ministries

The Rev. Chris Johnson reports initial damages reported in Haiti

Written on January 14th, 2010

Phillip Mantle, our DJO in Chicago and liaison to Haiti made contact with Haiti around 2:00 this morning.

Apparently at the epicenter, the Jubilee Center in Carrefour is gone (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/109342_27234_ENG_HTM.htm). Fortunately the children were not there when this happened, however the principal and the teacher are not accounted for at this time. He will keep us posted as he hears more.

Chris

The Rev. Christopher A. Johnson

Domestic Justice and Jubilee Ministries

And later with more information…

Phillip just called back. He just spoke with Jean Millien, husband of the principal (Marie “Mona” Millien) of Ecole Le Bon Samaritan in Carrefour. He came to Bridgeport CT last week for medical procedures and is also brother in law of Bishop Duracin. He has not heard from her, but did speak with Bp Duracin. The bishop’s home was destroyed, he was not injured, but his wife was injured, though reportedly nothing serious.

Phillip’s contact earlier this morning was Tony St. Peir, who is a resident in the village of Carreforu.

Chris

The Rev. Christopher A. Johnson

Domestic Justice and Jubilee Ministries

Episcopal Relief & Development’s Rob Radtke informs Church Center staff of plans

Written on January 14th, 2010

Dear Colleagues,

You will have no doubt seen the news about the Earthquake in Haiti.  Please hold our brothers and sisters in your prayers.

We are in touch with the Diocese.  I have already authorized an emergency disbursement to assist the Episcopal Church there and we can anticipate that there will be not only a short term emergency response but a long term rehabilitation program as well.

If asked how to help, please direct people to donate via the web to our Haiti fund if anyone should ask about how to give funds.  In addition they can call (800-334-7626 x 5129) or mail their donations.

A public statement is being prepared that can go out to all constituencies.  We will also post it on the web and email it to all staff.

Yours,

Rob

Robert W. Radtke

President

Episcopal Relief & Development

President of Episcopal Relief & Development Rob Radtke speaks about the first steps taken

Written on January 14th, 2010

Dear Bp Katharine,

Just a quick note to assure you that Episcopal Relief & Development has already responded to the earthquake in Haiti with an initial emergency grant to the Diocese.  We are trying to reach Bishop Duracin, but have not been able to get through to him.  If he reaches out to you, please let him know that Episcopal Relief & Development will do whatever it can to help.

If people approach you with question about what we are doing please direct them to our website for the latest information.  Frankly at this point people should be encouraged to donate to our Haiti fund.  We will have a statement up soon.

Often in times of disasters like this very well meaning folks want to travel to the disaster zone.  Unless they are supremely qualified and have a sponsoring agency, this should be discouraged.  The last thing the Diocese needs right now is to have a lot of folks flying in to help—they just become a burden on an already overtaxed system.   We will not be sponsoring volunteers to Haiti at this time.  We will deploy staff in due course, once the situation has stabilized.

I will keep you updated as we get more information.

Yours,

Rob

Robert W. Radtke

President

Episcopal Relief & Development

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s statement on Haiti

Written on January 14th, 2010

[January 13, 2010] Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued the following concerning the January 12 earthquake in Haiti:

The people of Haiti have suffered a devastating earthquake, and it is already clear that many have died and many more are injured.  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.  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 and Development, who are already working with the Diocese of Haiti to send aid where it is most needed.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop

The Episcopal Church