Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” –1 Corinthians 12:26
Almost two weeks have passed since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The outpouring of gifts from members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to ELCA Disaster Response has enabled a swift response on behalf of this church.
Thank you for your generous financial support which now totals more than $1.6 million. Thousands of other gifts are still being counted.
Our community-based partners are already providing:
• Two water purification systems to bring clean water to 25,000 people.
• Emergency food and medical supplies to thousands.
• Blankets and tents to shelter 10,000 homeless people
Funding, distributed through three partners, will increase as giving continues.
$300,000 has been sent to The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), a key responder and member of Action by Churches Together (ACT). The funds support LWF efforts to provide shelter to people left homeless.
$150,000 has been sent to Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, for material aid.
$150,000 has been sent to Church World Service to construct temporary water systems and distribute water purification materials.
In addition, $25,000 has been sent to Lutheran Services of Florida for initial support to refugees and Haitian Americans entering or returning to the United States.
Your generosity makes this life-saving work possible. As we celebrate this outpouring of gifts and prayers, we also know that we have a long road to travel together. There is so much more to be done. This church is committed to walking with our brothers and sisters in Haiti for years to come; your support is needed to provide ongoing care.
I encourage you to visit the ELCA Disaster Response (www.elca.org/disaster) Web site for updated information, worship resources, bulletin inserts and details on how to offer financial support. General mission-support dollars and gifts to ELCA Vision for Mission make it possible for 100 percent of your gifts designated for Haiti Earthquake Relief to be used entirely for this response effort.
To give today, go online
(www.elca.org/haitiearthquake) or call 800-638-3522.
In God’s grace,
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
ELCA
To give to help visctims of this disaster, click here
P.S. To view more photos of your gifts at work, click here
(www.elca.org/bishopstatement).
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