The wave of storms of hurricanes over the past month has left havoc and death in Haiti.
United Nations humanitarian agencies and other groups are struggling to help Haiti’s flood victims after storms that killed hundreds of people and isolated broad swaths of the impoverished Caribbean country.
The deputy director for the World Food Program in Haiti, Romain Sirois, said on Monday efforts to feed several hundred thousand people made homeless by the tropical cyclones could still fall tragically short.
“We need some 25,000 tons of supplies, including 16,000 tons of rice, to help feed the affected population over the next six months. But we only have 3,500 tons in stock,” Sirois told Reuters.
“We have launched an interagency appeal to find more supplies because so many people need our help.”
From Catholic Relief Services:
For four (4) days many Gonaivian families have been blocked in their houses without water or electricity. At the Bishop’s House we are accommodating more than five hundred (500) people including members of the clergy and their families. I your servant am suffering with these victims while trying my best to provide them assistance during these times of bad weather which has affected all of Artibonite. For the present moment we have an urgent need for: drinkable water, food, clothes, beds, batteries, covers, bath towels, chlorine, mosquito nets, medicines, etc….
Already many people have succumbed in different regions of the country. Many more will die if we can’t get them the immediate support they require.
Thus in this terrible circumstance I am willing to address this message to you, God’s people, to help us deal with these many victims and the continued efforts of Caritas and CRS/Haiti to help with this chaotic situation. We seek, on behalf of the Haitian and Universal Church, to spread the Gospel of love, through actions with your support
God’s people, I exhort you to remain united in prayer so that God guides us through the way towards a new beginning.
Sincerely yours in Christ
Monsignor Yves Marie Péan, c.s.c.
Bishop of Gonaïves
There are, of course, many relief agencies that work in Haiti - the CRS donation page is here, for a start.
Thank you for the link-that was easy!
Thanks for the link, Amy. Will pass it on. Prayers for the people of Haiti.
A friend’s former parish has direct ties with an orphanage in Haiti: I am sending you a link to a website for an Orphanage in Hinche, Haiti. St. Mark’s, a parish I belonged to in Virginia Beach, VA, sponsors the orphanage. The founder is a native Haitian who was educated at Virginia Tech and returned home to help his people. Jean Louis is a living Saint.
The orphanage was damaged by Hanna and is threatened by Ike. At one point they had 8 feet of water in the place. The children and staff are safe, but are short on food. The surrounding area is devastated.
Please pray for the people of Haiti, and for the children of Maison Fortune Orphanage Hinche, Haiti. Here’s the link.
WOW, that was heartbreaking to read but the link made doing something about it so easy!
The Navy has positioned the USS Kearsarge LHD-3 off the coast of Haiti to provide disaster relief.
http://www.southcom.mil/appssc/news.php?storyId=1363
I’ve linked. Thanks for the information on this situation.
I donated. But folks be aware of junk mail – I got one camoflaged this morning as “You have a postcard from a family member” (which I do get often, Facebook et al indundates you with this kind of twaddle) and then after clicking to be reminded that “Your family member wants you to donate $1 to the Red Cross Hurricane relief” not at the Red cross .org site but somewhere in PuertoRico…!
So sad that greed should reer its ugly head in the face of so much desperate need – but if in addition to the suffering we needed a reminder of the spiritual battle we all face, this is it!
http://www.snopes has warned that messages starting with “You have a postcard from a family member…..” are serious spam and shouldn’t be opened:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp