Notes from Haiti Conference Call
Earlier today I listend to a conference call with Rich Sterns from World Vision, Bill Hybels & Max Lucado about what to do in Haiti. Here are some notes:
Overview From Rich Sterns:
-This disaster is fundamentally different from any that we have seen recently like the asian tsunami & Hurricane Katrina.
- This is an urban disaster. It happened in a major city, with a high population density of about 3 million people. Because of the many multi-storied buildings, there is severe infrastructure damage.
- Access to Port-Au-Prince has extremely difficult. It is an island, the port has been destroyed and is not operational. The airport is struggling, opening & closing at different times. Most of the roads in & out are blocked.
- Communication with Port-Au-Prince is difficult because most of the cell phone service is down.
- Most notably, this is a disaster in which the responders that are on-site have been effected. The World Vision Staff, the Compassion Staff, and the United Nations have been victims.
How can we as churches respond?
According to Rich Sterns & Bill Hybels the best course of action at this time is to donate financially. It is not the time to send teams or youth ministries. The US Milatary is on site and so are other trained professionals. The time will come to send people, but at this point our best course of action is to give financially.
Bill Hybels quoted Zechariah 7:9-10 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.”
He talked about this being the time to show mercy & kindness.
Max Lucida asked for us to pray specifically for these things:
- That families would be reunited
- The God of comfort would surround the people of Haiti
- Relief Efforts
- Safety of Government & aid agencies
- Increased coordination
- Justice
- A New Day for Haiti
Let’s stay in prayer, and give what we can.
