Responding to the Situation in Haiti 

The ELCA, through the Lutheran World Federation, is already responding to the critical needs of survivors in Haiti.  Thankfully, the LWF offices and staff on the island were spared in the earthquake, making it possible for work to begin immediately.  Staff there will focus their immediate efforts on issues of water safety and sanitation, assisting with medical triage, and providing emergency sheltering for the many who are now homeless.  The ELCA has long-standing relationships in Haiti through several organizations and the Lutheran Church in Haiti.
In anticipation of your generous gifts, ELCA Disaster Response has authorized $250,000 for immediate relief assistance in Haiti, with the possibility for an additional $500,000 as the full scope of this disaster continues to become clear.  Your gifts are needed now to make this type of rapid response possible.  (As of January 22, $1.6 million had been received with more to be counted.)
While volunteers, especially skilled workers, will likely be needed in the coming months, the situation on the ground is still far too chaotic – no water, no power, few roads, and very limited communication – to support volunteers traveling to the area in the immediate days.

What you can do:

• Pray.  Please hold the people of Haiti in your prayers.
• Study and share the bulletin insert with friends and neighbors. 
• Look at the following web sites:  ACT International, Church World Service, Lutheran World Federation – World Service.
• Give.  Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response help us to provide immediate and effective support to communities which are in need.  Please consider giving to support the needs of this response and others like it.  Information on giving is found in the bulletin insert. 100% of your gift will be used in full to bring life sustaining support to this crisis.

Other Opportunities to Help Haiti 

SERRV, International reports that their partner in Haiti, CAH, Comite Artisanal Haitien, has reported severe damage to many workshops and artisan’s houses.  Some of the 100 members are confirmed dead, and more than half were still missing as of January 25. 
SERRV has been working with CAH in Haiti for 30 years and have the experience and on-the-ground contact to get aid to people who need it.  They ask for the following assistance:

• Give a tax-deductible donation to SERRV for rebuilding in Haiti.
• Purchase products from Haiti which will allow the office to place a new order quickly. 

If you have ever thought of giving a present of Haitian oil-drum art, please reconsider it soon.  The church office has a nativity ($72), tree of life sculpture ($46), flying angel with streaming hair ($32), flying angel with trumpet ($27) and 2 crosses with doves (each $17).   We also have 2 river stone Mother and Child sculptures ($15 each).

Haiti Medical Mission of Wisconsin is frequently listed in news reports as one of the top 10 charities for rebuilding Haiti.  Checks can be sent to it at this address: 
125 15th Ave.
Baraboo, WI  53913

COFAT is the acronym for Kathy Roberg’s organization, Co-Operative de Femme Artistisans de Thiotte.  This group makes purses out of discarded plastic bags.  Contributions can be earmarked for this organization and dropped off at the church office.  We will see that they get to Kathy’s group.