Prayers and Response for Haiti

Rocky Mountain Synod

ELCA Disaster Response commits funds to Haiti relief

Last night a magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked the island country of Haiti, primarily impacting the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Offices, hotels, houses and shops have collapsed. The presidential palace is in ruins and many churches have been destroyed. Hospitals are overflowing and the search for survivors is intense. The streets of Haiti are filled with people in shock and searching for loved ones among the rubble.

Your help is needed today to bring immediate relief and continued hope for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. About 3 million lives, one-third of Haiti’s population, are affected by this earthquake.

International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) announced it will immediately commit $250,000 to support response efforts to the earthquake in Haiti. It will also advance another $500,000 in anticipation of additional gifts from ELCA members. ELCA members can contribute gifts online  or call 800-638-3522. More ELCA news on Haiti.

Abiding Hope pastor and interns currently in Haiti

Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, Littleton, CO, is part of a national Lutheran movement whose mission is to create an alternative future of hope, sustainability, and dignity for the children of Haiti. This is a heartbreaking and devastating time for the people of Haiti and those associated with the Haitian Timoun Foundation (HTF).  The news from our “family” and partners there is not good.  On behalf of all, I invite your prayers and support.

At Abiding Hope in Littleton, CO, we will be having a time of prayer tonight (Wednesday, January 13) in our worship center from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.  For those of you in our area, we invite you to join us.

In addition to all the prayers for our “family” and partners there, please note that HTF has an immersion team right now in Haiti consisting of Pastor Doug Hill from Abiding Hope, Professor Brad Binau of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, two ELCA interns at Abiding Hope (Laura D’Angelo and Sarah Thomson), and nine seminary students who journeyed to get a firsthand experience with how HTF does grassroots mission.  All we know at this point is that they are safe in Jacmel with the UN and working on ways to get home.  Please keep them in your prayers.

There is a Haitian proverb, “Piti piti zwazo fè nich li.”  It means, “Little by little the bird builds the nest.”  In the aftermath of this incalculable devastation, we will all need to do our parts to help our “family” and the people of Haiti rebuild their lives, buildings, hearts, and hope.