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Join the effort as the Diocese of Missouri links arms with the other dioceses of The Episcopal Church to raise funds to help rebuild the center of The Episcopal Church in Haiti.
The Earthquake
January 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, its epicenter 16 miles from the capital city of Port-au-Prince, the most populated area of the country. United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that between 45,000 and 80,000 people died in the earthquake. The government of Haiti estimates that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings were severely damaged and needed to be demolished. More than 1,300 schools and 50 health care facilities were destroyed. A June 2011 report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which has said 1.5 million people moved into the camps after the quake and that there are still 680,000 in settlement camps around the capital.
The Episcopal Church in Haiti
The earthquake leveled the most populous diocese of the Episcopal Church. One of the 109 dioceses of the Episcopal Church is the Diocese of Haiti, which was not only the largest diocese of our church, but our fastest growing diocese.
Holy Trinity Cathedral was destroyed; 70% percent of church buildings were lost. Diocesan-run schools, clinics and hospitals that served over 100,000 Episcopalians, as well as countless community members, were wiped out in thirty-five seconds.
- The Diocese of Haiti is a diocese of the Episcopal Church
- The Diocese of Haiti is in Province II , which includes NY and NJ dioceses
- At the time of the quake the Diocese of Haiti was the largest diocese in TEC
- At the time of the quake the Diocese of Haiti was the fastest growing diocese in TEC
- Haiti is the poorest country in this hemisphere
Governmental agencies and NGOs are working to fill needs for rebuilding infrastructure and providing basic human needs on the road to recovery. Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Church in Haiti to provide short-term employment, provisional homes, and sanitation systems in addition to other community-focused recovery programs.
But there is one thing no one else can rebuild for the Episcopal Church: Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Bishop Jean Duracin of Haiti has asked for our help
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has asked the dioceses of TEC to help
The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church has asked TEC's dioceses to help
Bishop Wayne Smith is asking the Missouri diocese to help
Rebuild our Church in Haiti
In the Diocese of Missouri
We are asking each congregation of the diocese to prayerfully consider their contribution to this church-wide effort.
When Bishop Wayne issued the call for our diocese to participate, the Diocesan Board of the Episcopal Church Women answered. Cheryl Ward, Vice President of the ECW Board, is chairing the effort in our Diocese. Helping her is Jeanne King, a member of St. Martin's in Ellisville, and a member-at-large of the ECW Diocesan Board. They have been contacting each ECW in our Diocese regarding this effort and are available to visit parishes with a presentation. Some clergy are designating a Sunday's special offering, some parishes are holding fundraisers or other collection efforts. You can email Ward or King for more information at ECWMissouri@diocesemo.org.
We have licensed Leader Resource's Hope for Haiti for anyone in the diocese. It's 150 pages of education, fun and fundraising resources for congregations that want to learn about and join the campaign to rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral complex, with lesson plans for adults, youth and children (and intergenerational) about the country, the diocese, and the ministry of the church in Haiti. Also presented is the culture of Haiti: the tap-tap busses, fanal lanterns, proverbs, jokes and folk tales. http://leaderresources.org/hope-haiti. If you need any help accessing this resource, please contact Beth Felice, bfelice@diocesemo.org.
The final in-gathering will be the third week of October
Bishop Wayne designated the offering taken at May confirmations for Haiti and the ECW board will close the campaign designating the offering at their annual meeting Oct. 21-22 for Haiti. The final total will be presented to Diocesan Convention in November, which Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will attend. There are several individuals and parishes which have already contributed to this effort, and your tallies are added into the diocesan total.
If you have any questions, or need any resources, please feel free to contact ECWMissouri@diocesemo.org or bfelice@diocesemo.org.
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