01.13.10

Haiti Earthquake

Posted in Announcements at 2:56 pm

This news from the RI Conference:

A 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti just before 5:00 pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 with major damage and loss of life feared. Striking 10 miles west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, with a population of over 2 million, the shallow quake has been followed by several significant aftershocks.

Initial reports of damage are sketchy, but Haiti’s Ambassador to the U.S., his Excellency Raymond Alcide Joseph fears the earthquake is “a catastrophe of major proportions.”  Mike Godfrey of USAID in Haiti reported seeing a “huge cloud of smoke and dust” over Port-au-Prince which appeared shortly after the initial earthquake and lingered for 20 minutes.  Such a cloud is likely to arise from the cement dust released in the collapse of buildings.

Attempts by UCC and Global Ministries staff to contact partners and Global Ministries personnel in Haiti will continue into the night.  Land and cell phone service is severely disrupted.

One Great Hour of Sharing funds are being rushed to our Haitian partners to support their initial emergency response.  As damage assessments are made and plans for relief, recovery and rehabilitation are developed, additional OGHS funds will be shared with our partners.

On the more immediate, personal front from our Haitian task force; Suzanne Swanson reports that she has talked to Alex and Jeanette Dorisca who both report that they are unable to be in touch with people in Haiti at this moment. Suzanne will be doing a television interview with a local station during the day and will be mentioning that our Conference will be a place where donations can be sent. Because communication is so difficult we are not able yet to make wire transfers directly to our partners in Haiti.

We have also heard from Susan M. Sanders, Minister for Global Sharing of Resources and our One Great Hour of Sharing Administrator. Susan was our Annual Meeting presenter when we were in Kingston and one with whom we have deep respect for her work and savvy.  Susan reports:

Dear Friends:
The earthquake which struck Haiti Tuesday afternoon appears to be devastating.  Felix Ortiz, David Vargas and I continue to try to make contact with our partners and Global Ministries mission personnel in Haiti, but as of Tuesday late evening, have not yet had direct contact.
Initial emergency response grants from One Great Hour of Sharing funds have been approved and attempts will be made to transfer the funds to beginning Wednesday morning.  As the extent of the disaster becomes clear we anticipate we need for substantial designated gifts
Susan M. Sanders

How to Help: We have two ways which your congregation can help provide emergency relief to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

1. Working with the Haitian task force we have established a emergency relief fund and the Conference and will be working directly with the Dorisca family to look for ways to be supportive immediately as well as longer-term work projects. It will take us a little while to reestablish connections with our local Haitian bank in order to be able to transfer funds. Please send to Rhode Island Conference Haitian relief fund, 8 Summer St., Pawtucket, RI 02860

2. Disaster relief ministries of the wider Church ministries of the national UCC church has already established funding routes to Haiti through their connections and as of this morning has already send funds from one great hour of sharing funding.  They have a website where you can donate directly or you can designate funds labeled “OGHS – Haitian Relief” and send them to our Conference.  Visit the website.

Either way we will be able to get funds not only to the region served by our Haitian task force and to all of Haiti through our One Great Hour of Sharing funds.
We will keep you advised when we are able to get more information from the Dorisca family.

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