Responding to the Haiti Disaster

Disaster Response from Episcopal Relief and Development

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States, guided by the Episcopal Church's principles of compassion, dignity and generosity as we work to heal a hurting world.

ERD has already sent some funds to Haiti and has people on the ground in the Dominican Republic. The relief work will be done in three stages:

1. Rescue - This is work that can be done by governments who can send in the military and heavy moving equipment, specialized rescue teams. They have the capacity to bring in clean water, food sanitation, medicines and public health teams and provide security.
2. Relief - ERD and other international aid organizations can do these things.
3. Recovery - Restoring services and rebuilding. ERD will be there for this stage. It will require much funding. The story may no longer be on the front page of newspapers and news shows. However, the human suffering will continue and will need a generous response. The recovery period will take years.

Robert W. Radtke, president of ERD, says, "Do not try to go there at this time. Do not try to collect food or clothing - there is no way to get it there."

Every dollar given to ERD designated for Haiti relief efforts will go there.

More about ERD
Episcopal Relief & Development has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau.

Episcopal Relief & Development has a long partnership with The Episcopal Church in Haiti.

We have already been listed in a number of news outlets, including CNN, ABC, MSNBC. We can still use your support. Call your local media contacts and sources and request that Episcopal Relief & Development be included in their list of relief organizations for Haiti.

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News and updates from our Diocesan Family and Beyond

Update on relief efforts from the Rev. Tracy Bruce 1/18/2010
Fox 45 was here at noon and did a small piece on Haiti (click here to see the story)and hope to do a follow up after our trip. I think tonight’s piece will be short; although they interviewed both of us, our son Dieubon and a Dr. Horst Schirmer from the congregation who will travel with us next week.

I know that you have both been getting as many requests and contacts as we have. Let me summarize some news and tell you a little about our next steps.

The telephones “came up” beginning Saturday night and into Sunday in Haiti. That in itself is a miracle. We are still mostly hearing of those who have survived.

Bishop Ihloff had written about Pere Brutus Mathieu who normally resides very near the epicenter of the quake. Fortunately our daughter Anne, found a short video on the New York Times website that showed him celebrating the Eucharist outside St. Martin, a ravaged Episcopal church in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince. I will carry Bishop Ihloff’s prayers, good wishes and requests to Pere Brutus when we go...and will do the same for the two of you when I see Bishop Duracin, as well, if you wish.

The epicenter of the quake was in the mountains not far from the church – St. Etienne’s – where we have been working for many years. The “old church”, that suffered severe damage in a 1998 hurricane had been rebuilt while at the same time the community had been working on a new church that could also serve as a community center at a site down the road that was more secure, especially geologically. The earthquake flattened the “old” church and the priest’s house attached....both priest and his wife survived. The foundation for the new church adjacent to classroom buildings built in the 90s are all in tact. These buildings were well designed, considering hurricanes and earthquake history and were built with rebar. – an example – now for what is possible and construction that could withstand other earthquakes. During the years there have been many who have wondered why it has taken so long...or why the costs are so seemingly high on this construction...what a gift that turns out to be...The community now has something to build on. Many of their own homes were demolished.

Aid of all kinds is just beginning to arrive in this region. This church is just a 20 minute drive into the mountains from Leogoane, where I understand 90 percent of the buildings are demolished. That would include important Episcopal ministries at St. Croix (Holy Cross) that has a significant congregation, elementary and secondary school, site for summer Music Camp for Holy Trinity Music School, and is adjacent to St. Croix Hospital – a 165 bed facility that appears now to be totally damaged.

St. Marc, the church down the hill from St. Etienne’s (Bishop Rabb – Margaret Rose’s church in Atlanta worked with us with this church about 12 years ago) is on an ancient fault line and has been leveled, unfortunately at a time of day that four worshippers perished. Other churches in the nearby region of Gran Coline are reported to be devastated.

We have had all kinds of offers...from airplanes and pilots to support from international health and mental health foundations that have worked effectively in war-torn Kosovo and around the world. Here is what we are trying to do:

1. Meet with our own parishioners on Wednesday to assess our leadership capacity among ourselves and, if need be or requested, in the Diocese.
2. After we assess our capacity, invite representatives from other parishes who are interested to join us in another meeting – even if a parish only sent 1 person as a contact.
3. Go ourselves to Haiti between Jan 24 and 30, with a medical Doctor from our parish to do some emergency relief work and be in contact with all our ministry partners and with Bishop Duracin.
4. Return with specific requests regarding these ministries and others.

 

Update on Haiti from the Rev. Tracy Bruce 1/15/10
Our inside information says that there are many more churches that are devastated...confirmations of collapse have come though several sites....St. Etienne’s church in the mountains where we have worked for almost 30 years...church and priest’s residence collapsed. St. Croix Hospital in Leogane is gone according a NY Times website. The collapsed roof on four worshippers happened at St. Marc, Trouin near St. Etienne’s....so their church is destroyed. We estimate that at least ten churches are deeply damaged or demolished. Most Episcopal Churches in Haiti are actually outside the capital. St. Vincent’s Crippled Children’s Hospital, just a few blocks away from the Cathedral...with children and adults with all sorts of disabilities seems to be intact. Small miracles abound. No news yet from any of our clergy friends.

 

Information on the Society of St. Margaret's Sisters in Haiti 1/14/10
THE SISTERS ARE ALIVE AND UNHURT! We have spoken directly to Sr. Marie Margaret. She is with Sr. Marjorie Raphael and Sr. Marie Therese in a football field at College St. Pierre. The front of the Foyer collapsed but the back is still standing. They had some of the ladies from the Foyer with them. We will keep updating you as we know any more. PRAISE GOD! Source: Sr. Grace, SSM, Director of Communication The Sisters of St. Margaret

 

Report Given to the Staff of the Church Center on 1/13/10
We were informed of the destruction of the following buildings:

• The Cathedral of Holy Trinity was destroyed.
• The Cathedral complex including the Diocesan Offices were destroyed.
• The Bishop Tharp School suffered considerable damage.
• St. Margaret’s Convent was destroyed but the sisters are alive.
• The secondary school of St. Pierre was destroyed and students had gone home for the day.
• The Jubilee Center was destroyed.
• The four Episcopal Church missionaries are reportedly alive but direct contact has not been made by officers at the Church Center.

Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) missionary Mallory Holding was evacuated out through the US Embassy today and is on her way home to Chicago. She said that she was with the Rt. Rev. Jean-Zache’ Duracin, bishop of Haiti, yesterday, he is safe and well, although his wife has a serious leg injury which is being treated. YASC Missionary, Jude Harmon is at the US Embassy in Port au Prince awaiting evacuation. Missionary Oge Beauvoir and his wife Serette are safe and Oge is working with the diocese in the capital.

 

Medical Trust offers Support
The recent earthquake in Haiti has impacted many of us both personally as well as through our church work with the Diocese of Maryland. The Medical Trust wants to provide you with support for dealing with the impact of this tragic event.

Cigna Behavioral Health can provide support to you, your family, or members of your staff who have medical benefits through the Medical Trust. If you feel you want to speak with someone for support, please contact CBH at (866) 395-7794. Ask for the EAP consultant and you will be directed to someone who can assist you.

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How we can help

Thank you for your displays of compassion and generosity toward the Haitian people. If you are looking for specific ways to help during this crisis, the two most effective ways right now are through cash donations. Additionally, many Haitian Americans have lost loved ones. Reaching out to the Haitian American community in your area to offer assistance is another way to contribute during this time.

Contribute to Episcopal Relief and Development
Donate and encourage others to donate to Episcopal Relief & Development by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129 or visit their website at www.er-d.org.

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 www.serve.gov. Or read about Volunteers for Prosperity, a volunteer program managed by USAID.

Stay Updated
Visit the websites listed below to find more information as it becomes available on the best ways to help in Haiti going forward.

• Episcopal Church Communications Office http://www.episcopalchurch.org/haiti.php
• Episcopal News Service http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife/
• Episcopal Relief & Development http://www.er-d.org/
• Lauren Stanley’s (one of our missioners) web site which is updated twice a day at http://www.gointotheworld.net

 

Robert W. Radtke, president of ERD, says, "Do not try to collect food or clothing - there is no way to get it there."

Please do not encourage anyone to travel to Haiti at this time. Priority must be given to first responders and a few relief agencies so as not to over-burden the already compromised infrastructure.

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About the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti

• Haiti is the largest and fastest-growing diocese in The Episcopal Church.
• There are over 83,000 Episcopalians in Haiti
• There are over 100 Episcopal Churches in Haiti, and over 200 Episcopal schools

The Episcopal Church in Haiti has lost a cathedral, convent, Holy Trinity Complex, College St. Pierre, and a Jubilee Center. The Bishop has no place to live. Thankfully, the four missionaries are all accounted for - Mallory Holding, Jude Harmon, Oge Beauvoir and his wife Serette.

Note: Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port-au-Prince, and St Etienne, Buteau, were begun in the 1860's. Holy Trinity Music School began in 1961 and out of that school the national Philharmonic Orchestra began in 1971 - as well as Les Petits Chanteurs, a boys choir which annually performs 25-35 concerts in the United States. Holy Trinity Cathedral also housed extensive murals from the 1940's painted by the leading 'primitive' artists of the day.

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