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The Haiti Earthquake and Orphans
Words continue to be inadequate for the ache and anguish of Haiti. As the Apostle Paul described, “creation groans…” Certainly, our hearts groan as well.
As focus in Haiti shifts from immediate response to longer-term needs, many Alliance members are giving special focus and care to the vast number of newly-formed orphans.
More opportunities to get involved will arise over coming days and months. For now, join those on the front lines by:
- Praying. Pray for the orphans of Haiti and all those suffering—both their immediate needs, and their future. Pray also for the vast array of indigenous and outside groups and individuals seeking to provide aid and care.
- Giving. Below are a number of trustworthy Alliance organizations you can join in vital work that will build through the vital days ahead and continue long after the cameras have turned their focus elsewhere.
- Staying Informed. You can keep abreast of key developments in Haiti related to orphans at the Alliance blog.
- HORT—Consider partnering your Church with a Haiti-based church through the Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT) initiative.
Learn more at HORT’s blog based information center and its Facebook page.
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Giving Opportunities
Bethany Christian Services
Bethany Christian Services is working with partners in Haiti to care for children in Haiti and keep them safe amidst post-quake needs and chaos. Join in prayer by registering for Bethany's Prayer Warrior program at www.bethany.org/prayerwarriors. You can donate at www.bethany.org/donate and select gift designation "Haiti - Earthquake Recovery."
East-West Ministries International
The most urgent needs are food, clean water and medical supplies. Each $1.00 of your gift will supply a person's daily needs of food, water and medical supplies. $120 will provide for a family of four for a month. In this effort East-West Ministries is partnering with the relief and development arm of Campus Crusade to reach the maximum number of people in the shortest amount of time. The food, water and medical supplies will be distributed through a network of local churches and other relief workers already in Haiti, working desperately to reach and treat survivors. Your tax-deductible gift will be a great blessing in allowing the message of Christ’s redeeming love go forward. Visit www.eastwest.org to donate.
Global Aid Network (GAiN)
Global Aid Network (GAiN) is working with partners to provide both initial relief and long term help for earthquake victims in Haiti. As the relief and development arm of Campus Crusade for Christ, GAiN partners with 75 churches and 5 ministries in the country. In response to the earthquake, GAiN is focusing on shipping and distributing needed relief items and mobilizing specialized teams to meet specific needs. GAiN staff in Haiti are distributing food, water filters, clothing and shoes, and specialized teams are providing trauma counseling and medical clinics. Gifts may be given online via www.gainusa.org. For partnership information, please contact GAiN USA at (972) 234-0800.
Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT)
The Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT) is a collaborative effort of Christian Alliance for Orphans member organizations to facilitate long-term partnerships between U.S. churches and Haitian churches to care for orphans in Haiti. Lead coordination is being provided by World Orphans, in partnership an array of Alliance members and a team of disaster response experts from the University of North Carolina. An initial HORT on-the-ground team will deploy for a two week period beginning on February 14, 2010. In addition to more immediate response & recovery efforts, the team will work to identify churches in Haiti that can be paired with U.S. churches for ongoing partnerships in caring for orphaned children. Alliance organizations will provide support and guidance to the ongoing church-to-church relationships to ensure healthy, effective long-term partnership. Individuals and churches interested in being part of this initiative, are invited to enter their information on the “Awakened by Haiti” page and indicate your interest in potentially being matched with a church in Haiti. You can donate several ways - send a Valentine eCard or give a gift at www.haitiorphanrelief.org. Learn more about HORT via its blog based information center or HORT’s Facebook page.
Hopegivers
With the immediate need, Hopegivers is working with Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia, a local church partner in Santiago, Dominican Republic to send 200 doctors, who have left for Haiti to assist those injured in the quake. In addition, 24,000 bottles of water, along with food, medicines and other supplies are being brought to the Port Au Prince area. In the short-term, Hopegivers will continue to work with local churches and ministry partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to provide assistance to those victims of the earthquake who need immediate help.
After security has been established and the initial search and rescue efforts are over, Hopegivers will: (1) Assist in the reconstruction of schools, orphanages, and churches that have been destroyed in the earthquake, (2) Care for children orphaned and abandoned by the earthquake. In the coming weeks and months, there will be a need to start orphanages for the children whose parents were killed in the earthquake. For updates or to get involved through Hopegivers please go to hopegivers.org.
Loving Shepherd
Loving Shepherd Ministries has a strong presence in southern Haiti near the city of Les Cayes. Loving Shepherd Ministries has initiated a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund that will be used by LSM staff on-the-ground to assist with the Haiti relief efforts. Any money donated to this fund will be used to assist those affected by the earthquake, particularly those who have fled Port-au-Prince and are now refugees in southern Haiti. LSM will specifically look to assist in ways that benefit vulnerable children and orphans. To support this effort, you may give on-line at www.loving-shepherd.org (please note Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund in the "Add Special Instructions" field) or you may send a donation to: LSM, c/o Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, PO Box 375, Bluffton, IN 46714.
Orphan’s Promise
Orphan’s Promise has been working in Haiti with the Northwest Haiti Christian Missions Group to support programs that are helping orphans and vulnerable children. Now, however, all projects are on hold and all money will be used to help meet the immediate needs of all who are suffering. As food, water, medicine and shelter are the most consuming needs, this is where Orphan's Promise will put incoming dollars. Every dollar you give will go to the people on the ground who are working directly with the people in need. Go to www.orphanspromise.org to donate directly.
Sweet Sleep
Sweet Sleep provides beds and bedding to orphaned and abandoned children around the world. This ministry’s work in Haiti first began Christmas 2008 when Sweet Sleep provided beds to an orphanage whose facilities were lost to the hurricanes. Sweet Sleep has been asked to provide blankets, bedding, and beds to the orphans of Haiti—including to the thousands of newly orphaned children. Sweet Sleep is providing earthquake relief through one of our partners on the ground, Global Orphan Project. Donations can be made to Sweet Sleep online via www.sweetsleep.org/donate. Note “HAITI” in the special comments box.
VisionTrust
VisionTrust is partnered with an organizations that serves orphans in Haiti and operates one of the few functioning hospitals just across the border in the Dominican Republic. The 10 acre hospital compound is in the city of Jimani, Dominican Republic on the border of Haiti, just 1 hour from Port-au-Prince. (Click here to see a map.) The facility houses an orphanage, school, mission house and two operating rooms/clinic. It is referred to as the “Jimani Project.” Strategy for the next two weeks:
VisionTrust's first priority is to raise money to help pay for the expenses related to providing medical services and care for the people coming to the Jimani Project. Second priority is to assess what is needed to protect and care for the newly orphaned or displaced children. Please send donations to: VisionTrust International, PO Box 50524, CO 80949 or donate online. Following a completed assessment (by Jan 26th), "hands-on help" on the ground will be needed - including medical staff and people that will care for people and children while they recover.
World Orphans
World Orphans is coming alongside churches in Haiti to empower them be the rescue and care mechanism for thousands of children orphaned and displaced by this tragedy. The World Orphans team is looking into all the additional church-based options available to us, vetting out the best options to enable churches to be drop-off and care centers for orphaned children. You can invest in the children of Haiti by investing in the churches that seek to rescue them! Please contribute to the World Orphans relief efforts at our giving page online. Simply make a "Miscellaneous" gift and write "Haiti" in the memo box. Or send a check to: World Orphans: P.O. Box 1840, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
World Help
World Help is working with partners on the ground in Haiti to provide immediate relief. Having already shipped $8 million worth of medicine, medical supplies and food staples, they have committed another $20 million over the next few weeks. World Help already sponsors several hundred children in Haiti, but has also identified 400 new orphans who are in desperate need. In addition to raising the funds to ship supplies, World Help is also trying to raise $144,000 to meet the immediate needs of these children including shelter, food, water, medical attention and schooling. For more information, visit worldhelp.net
4KIDS of South Florida
4KIDS was notified by Florida's Department of Children & Families (DCF) that Florida, specifically South Florida, would most likely be receiving the majority of Haitian Orphans. 4KIDS will be involved, though the full level of involvement is currently unknown. Updates will be communicated as they are received. http://www.4kidsofsfl.org/ |
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