A Message from Lauren Stanley: How best to help

Dear Friends in Christ:

On behalf of the Bishop of Haiti, the Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, first let me say Mesi anpil, thank you very much, for your love, your prayers, your support, your generosity and your kindness. 

I know that many of you want to go to Haiti to help. Many of you already have planned mission trips and have long-standing relationships with your brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti. Please, Bishop Duracin has been very clear about this: Unless you are a certified first-responder, now is not the time to come. Please let the professionals do their job first as they help the Haitians through the immediate dangers and relief efforts.

Episcopal Relief & Development is working very hard, day and night, to get help where it needs to go. The agency is working closely with Bishop Duracin as well, who is directing efforts, along with the Executive Council of the Diocese of Haiti, and deciding where the most urgent needs are and how to meet them.

I believe the best course of action right now is to pray, to be generous in your financial assistance, and to begin praying about how you can respond in the future. If you are considering -- or had already scheduled -- a mission trip, please pray about who should go to help with the first stages of rebuilding: Those who are healthy, who have specific skills such as carpentry, construction, plumbing, electrical work. Consider learning more Haitian Creole -- 10 lessons are available for free at www.byki.com, and more lessons can be purchased.

The Diocese of Haiti will need your help for many years. This crisis is a marathon, not a short sprint, so we must be prepared to be in this for the long haul. 

One immediate way that you can help: Please send all information to me at my email address. I am compiling it for Episcopal Relief & Development. I especially need to know about parishes in the immediately affected areas, their locations, their GPS coordinates and the latest updates you may have received. We have a lot of information floating around out there, but I don't get all of it, and there could be vital information that I miss.

In addition, please to keep an eye on my web site, www.gointotheworld.net. Help me to ensure the information I have is correct, and help me get more information to post. 

Please know that Bishop Duracin is counting on everyone here to work together, to help the people and to be faithful. Together, we WILL help God's beloved children in Haiti.

Blessings and peace and many, many prayers,

The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley

TEC Appointed Missionary in Haiti

Assistant to Bishop Duracin,

Partnership Program and Development 

Diocese of Haiti

US mobile: 703-678-3892

MereLaurenS@gmail.com

http://GoIntoTheWorld.net