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Dear Friends of Life:
We are making available a vehicle for you or your group to volunteer in Haiti through the various groups listed. As a group Anglican Priests For Life donated to one such project of Father Jean Bien-Aime, an Anglican Priest in Port-au-Prince. His orphanage was totally destroyed but the children are o.k., for which we give thanks to the Lord.
Anglican Christian Ministries There
are several projects that the Anglican Relief Development Fund has
approved for 2010 in Chile and Haiti. However, one would need to
contact the office concerning the status of the projects. Contact:
Nancy Norton, nnorton@nauticom.net
Volunteer Time Money
Secular Relief Agencies
Many U.S.-based relief agencies were already on the ground in Haiti
when the earthquake struck, as they regularly support the
underdeveloped country. However, they have been able to significantly
ramp up their humanitarian efforts owing to the increased giving of
Americans. The Chronicle of Philanthropy notes that the American Red Cross
topped the list of humanitarian agencies’ receipt of aid for Haiti, at
over $198 million as of January 29. Redcross.org reports that the flood
of donations has enabled the organization to provide over three million
prepackaged meals, drinking water and water-purification tablets,
hygiene items, tents, blankets, and blood products for much-needed
transfusions. Additionally, they are able to pay for the transportation
of hundreds of Creole-speaking U.S. volunteers to function as
interpreters.
Doctors Without Borders is another organization that
was already serving in Haiti prior to the quake. Though several of
their hospitals were destroyed in the earthquake, the increased
donations allowed them to bring in inflatable hospitals and many extra
medical personnel. Doctorswithoutborders.com emphasizes that 100
percent of their funding comes from private donations.
Other privately funded secular charities going above and beyond to provide care to Haiti are Goodwill, Sow a Seed, and Hope to Haiti.
Christian Relief Ministries
Many Christian relief agencies also maintain a full-time presence in
Haiti, and were already in the country to provide assistance, but
American generosity has allowed them to significantly increase their
aid. The many organizations working full time to help the Haitians
include Samaritan’s Purse, Children of the Nations, the Lutheran Church, the Mennonite Central Committee, the Christian Broadcasting Network’s Operation Blessing, the Hands and Feet Project, Northwest Haiti Christian Mission, and many others.
These groups provide not only physical care, but spiritual as well.
Volunteers for these organizations pour in from across America, and
generous American dollars allow the missionary groups to provide food,
blankets, clothing, medical care, diapers, drinking water, and even
water-purification units to provide tens of thousands of gallons of
drinking water daily.
So many U.S. medical personnel are willing to give of their time that they are actually being turned away. Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
has a waiting list of volunteers, which they are planning on using
later for ongoing follow-up care for the patients now being treated.
This is definitely a long-term mission for these Christian groups, made
possible by the thoughtful giving of caring Americans.
| Written by Liana Stanley
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Friday, 12 February 2010 16:00 |
Please Consider and Pray Over Your Gift of Talent
Fr Frederick Bentley Director |
