Helping Haiti

Friends,

I am deeply distressed about the devastation in Haiti. It is bad. I want to help and feel helpless. In a time like this, I am thankful that the United Methodist Church is devoted to send aid when disasters strike. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, is a disaster relief agency that is immediately dispatched to troubled areas throughout the world whenever tragedy strikes. I have personally seen UMCOR work along the hurricane ravaged gulf cost. I was proud to see UMCOR vehicles parked outside the church even before police would let people back into the area. They were one of the first relief agencies to arrive, and they were the last agency to leave.

UMCOR has already been dispatched to Haiti and will be an incredible asset to the region (some UMCOR leaders were already in Haiti, and are missing). I am sure that UMCOR will be asking for supplies and other specific forms of aid soon, including work teams. For right now, though, their biggest need is funding. This is one of the areas where the United Methodist Church shines. Part of the apportionments that we give as a church goes to pay for the operating budget of UMCOR. That way when a disaster happens, 100% of any donations to the recovery effort will go to the people that need it rather than go towards administrative costs.

If you would like to help the people of Haiti, I would invite you to give to UMCOR. We are not helpless to provide assistance to Haiti. We can do something. Give to UMCOR.

All the people of Haiti, and all of the nations that are responding with aid are in my prayers.

Dan