Friday, January 22, 2010

A Prayer for Haiti


by Taylor Burton-Edwards

The seas roar, the earth shakes,
buildings crumble, roofs toppleand walls turn to dust.

Have mercy on the people of Haiti, O God.
Nations watch, alarms sound,traffic halts,
utilities stop,and news is hard to verify.

Give us compassion to weep with those who weep, O God.
People die, families mourn,mountains split,
infrastructure and superstructure alike are gone.

Make us swift to help and persistent to rebuild,
not just things and structures, but lives, O God:
Through Christ, the solid Rock. Amen.

Health Kits for Haiti


Greetings Colleagues,

As we continue to pray and collect donations for the people of Haiti, here is yet another way that our churches and ministries can help. Visit
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/ to see complete instructions for assembling and shipping health kits for Haiti through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). These kits cost just $12 each to construct, and will be passed out to individuals who have been affected by the disaster.

Please follow the assembly and delivery instructions carefully. This is a great project for youth groups and other ministries to get involved with providing relief to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Blessings,

C. Anthony Hunt


Health Kit Items Value: $12 per kit
Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27", No kitchen towels)
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
$1.00 to purchase toothpaste (NOTE: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Important Kit Assembly Information
All items included in kits must be NEW items.
All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Packing Kits
Box Weight. Each packed box cannot exceed 66 pounds.

Shipping Kits
1. Complete 2 packing lists-one for your records and one to put on the shipping box.
2. Paste the shipping label / packing list on the outside of each box you send. The shipping list helps the depot to quickly process kits.
3. Processing & Shipping Costs: Please enclose an envelope containing at least $1 for each kit you send. This donation enables kits to be sent without delay to areas in need. For Cleaning Buckets: $1.50.
Print Shipping Label & Packing List HTML PDF
Print ORM-D mark (JPG)Small Large

How to Turn Crisis into Opportunity in Haiti


How to turn a Crisis into an Opportunity in Haiti:
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/


Michael J. Christensen, Ph.D.National Director, Shalom Initiative

Help for Haiti


Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I ask that you kindly join me in prayer for the people of Haiti as they deal with the catastrophic earthquake that struck the country on January 12th. In this, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the loss, grief and distress caused by this disaster adds to the tremendous forces of poverty with which the people already struggle. I also ask that we join in prayer for our sisters and brothers in the Baltimore area who are concerned for loved ones in Haiti, as well as for those who will be traveling to provide direct support in Haiti in the coming days and weeks. Bishop John Schol has released a statement that can found on the Conference website at http://www.bwcumc.org/.

As we gather for worship on Sunday, I encourage you to lift prayers for the people of Haiti and also consider lifting a special offering in support of rescue and recovery efforts. Financial support can be made online through UMCOR. Checks can also be mailed the "Conference Treasurer" at 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046. On the check, please note: Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance # 418325.

Below, please find additional web-links that can be helpful to your congregation:

A Prayer for the People of Haiti http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=48375

Haiti Cries… and We Cry with Them http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=48380 (Spanish translation available)

Prayers, Hymns, Sermons, and Resources for Times of Natural Disaster http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=739,1112&act=nav_loc

Haiti Earthquake Response Resources http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=739,1112,1198&act=nav_loc


Many Blessings and Thanks for Your Ministry,

Rev. Dr . C. Anthony Hunt
Superintendent
Baltimore Metropolitan District