A Christian Response to the Haiti Earthquake

I watched in shock as reports came from Haiti this past Tuesday that a 7.3 magnitude earthquake had struck, wreaking havoc on the capital of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region. René Preval, president of Haiti, said thousands of people are feared dead. The Red Cross estimates that approximately three million people have been affected by the disaster.

First-hand reports describe streets in Port-au-Prince as full of traumatized and grief-stricken victims. The following days are critical for rescue and relief teams on the scene as they work to pull survivors from the rubble and treat serious injuries. Many of the hospitals have collapsed, including the largest in the city. The most urgent needs in Haiti right now are water, food, blankets, shelter and medical care.

The Bible gives us clear passages on what to do in times of distress and devastation. The book of Deuteronomy instructs us to care for those in need:

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land...do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs... Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land (Deut 15:7-11).

In James we are told that pure and faultless faith is looking after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27). It is time for the Church to answer the cry of the suffering in Haiti. It is time for the Church to show the nation of Haiti and the world the compassionate character of God, as we rally to serve those most in need.

As you join with us to answer the question “How can I help?”consider the following options:

1) Pray

• Pray for those wounded and trapped in debris
• Pray for medical and emergency teams on the ground and in transit to Haiti
• Pray for those who have lost loved ones, shelter and protection
• Pray that the Church and relief organizations would continue to respond to the needs in Haiti efficiently and quickly

2) Give. Consider giving to one of the following organizations, already on the ground and responding to the medical and physical needs of the Haitian people.

• American Red Cross
• Episcopal Relief & Development
• Partners in Health
• World Relief
• Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
• Doctors Without Borders
• UNICEF
• United Methodist Committee on Relief

*HopeandHealing.org is not endorsing or vouching for any of these groups. The list is just a starting point for you to begin to learn about organizations that are responding to the crisis. There are a number of online tools available for evaluating charities and making donations to a broader range of NGOs, including CharityNavigator.org and NetworkForGood.org.

Ellie McBroom lives in Baltimore, Maryland and is the Church Engagement Intern at World Relief.

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