Next Steps to Help Haiti

Wooster Grace wants to coordinate all efforts of our people to help the people of Haiti.  We feel it is important to update you on what we are working on next as well as thank everyone for praying and giving. There is a great deal for us to discern.

God has opened two doors for us in Haiti to help the churches there reach out with the love of Jesus in their communities: Caribbean Vision Ministries (CVM) and Hope for Haiti Foundation (HFHF) (include links here).

Wooster Grace responded to Haiti Relief by sending a special offering of over $14,000 to CVM.  CVM shares how offerings are being used (link to blog post Thu Jan 28) to help pastors and their congregation as well as people in their communities.  Please be assured that CVM seeks to wisely and effectively steward the generous gifts of people from churches for maximum help and to potentially foster spiritual follow-up.  Wooster Grace desires to help facilitate outreach.  We pray for our local church to help other Haitian churches to reach out to their community.

We know that some of you want to know when you can go to Haiti to help out. We praise God for your willingness to go.  The answer is that we will be ready to send teams as soon as we have an open opportunity with CVM or HFHF.  The best thing to do right now is give a donation. The next thing to do is give towards the needs cited by CVM or HFHF.

According to our partnering organizations, trying to get into Haiti is difficult. Subsequently, getting teams of people into Haiti is even more challenging and nearly impossible. Besides, it’s not yet entirely safe. We will not be sending a team from Ohio in the near future.  But we hope to post opportunities we come across for those interested in serving on medical or work teams in fields such as medical support, demolition, construction etc. As soon as we find out, we will post those opportunities. If you come across an opportunity, please post it in the comments below. 

For those interested in adopting children from Haiti, please be patient and work through existing organizations, rather than doing something on your own. You don't want the headache that some Christians are facing (Christians detained by Haitian government).  It is reported that the records for many children awaiting adoption have been destroyed. The challenge remains of working with the Haitian government to ease adoption restrictions; yet working with Christian organizations that may have a way to expedite the adoption process.  Please do your homework.

Lastly, CVM reports that many of their pastors are trying to help many in their communities who are homeless. Most of the buildings in the area are rubble and there is very little help from the government in the villages surrounding Port Au Prince. Many people are relocating by mass exodus to places out of the city. Some people are going to the villages, and others are being relocated to new cities made of tents and temporary shelters.
.
We as United States citizens who are used to a world of social help organizations who can display efficiency and speed, the seemingly slow response to this disaster can be very difficult to understand; even frustrating.  However, with God's patience and wisdom, we don’t just want to do anything, we want to do the most important things the most effective way and so we are moving as fast as our partnering organizations are moving.  We want to be wise. More details will be forthcoming and more plans unfolding. Until then, your prayers are essential.  Thanks for your heart of prayer and ready hands of compassion to help.