The Episcopal Church: Facts about the Diocese of Haiti and the aftermath of the earthquake
Please continue to check the special Haiti landing page for updated and additional information. http://www.episcopalchurch.org/haiti.php
Facts:
Haiti is the largest and fastest-growing diocese in The Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church has been an active, integral partner in Haiti for over 150+ years.
The Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin is Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. He is unharmed and remains in Haiti helping with the relief effort; his wife suffered an injury to her foot and is recovering from surgery in Florida.
Bishop Duracin reports that there are 200,000 members of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.
The Rev. Lauren Stanley, liaison to Bishop Duracin in the United States, reports that almost all the Episcopal facilities in the Diocese of Haiti sustained damage: the 200 parishes, congregations, missions and preaching stations including the cathedral which was destroyed; the 254 nursery, primary and secondary schools; the university; the seminary; the community college; the three trade schools; the hospital and numerous medical missions; St. Vincent”s Center for the Handicapped; and a Jubilee Center.
The Episcopal Church”s three missionaries who were in Haiti are all accounted for. Oge Beauvoir, who is the dean of the Theological Seminary, along with his wife Serette, remain in Haiti.
Episcopal Relief & Development is working closely with the Diocese of Haiti to help meet critical needs such as food, water and shelter and to develop a plan for long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. www.er-d.org/HaitiCrisis. Donations can be made to Episcopal Relief & Development by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129. https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php .Episcopal Relief & Development has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau.
Volunteers discouraged from traveling to Haiti
Written on January 19, 2010, re-posted February 17, 2010
There have been a number of inquiries about volunteering. Please note:
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and Episcopal Relief & Development discourages all volunteer travel to Haiti for the foreseeable future. The situation is very unstable and safety and security cannot be guaranteed.
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is fully occupied with ministering to its members and is not in a position to host volunteers at this time.
At some point in the future, Episcopal Relief & Development may consider organizing volunteers to go to Haiti. We will announce those opportunities when and if it becomes appropriate.
In the meantime, please collect names of those who may be interested and hold on to them so that when the time is right and a call goes out, you can be in touch with people.
Resources
Bulletin inserts are available in both Spanish and English.
– From Episcopal News Service Weekly Bulletin Inserts: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/95270_ENG_HTM.htm
– From Episcopal Relief & Development: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/
Books:
All Souls” Rising by Madison Smartt Bell
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. A biography of Paul Farmer, one of the founders of Partners in Health
In the Parish of the Poor (Writings from Haiti) by Jean Bertrand Aristide Aristide”s writings as a Catholic priest, advocate of the poor and liberation theologian before he became president of Haiti.
Walking on Fire by Beverly Bell. Haitian women”s stories of survival and resistance
Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
Episcopal Books and Resources www.episcopalbookstore.org
Center for Applied linguistics website and their culture profile on Haitians. http://www.cal.org/resources/pubs/haitians.html
For more information
For more information from The Episcopal Church:
Financial Donations and Immediate Relief and Development: Episcopal Relief & Development
Mission Personnel: the Rev. David Copley
Refugee Issues: Deborah Stein, Episcopal Migration Ministries
Church's Role in US Government Response: Alex Baumgarten
Donations for future church rebuilding in Haiti: Finance office
Clergy Support: Church Pension Group
