| CRS Meeting Needs in Haiti through Generosity of the Faithful |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I believe that God joins you in your tears and grief over the recent tragedy in Haiti. Our loving Father did not cause, or even allow, the recent earthquake in Haiti. The earthquake was not a judgment on the Haitian people or a punishment for some sin. God created humanity with the ability, the responsibility, to reach out and help each other. Although much of global poverty seems impossible to correct, with aspects insurmountable, we mustn’t stop trying. Rich nations cannot simply ignore poor nations. Rather than ask why God didn’t prevent the earthquake, we can and should ask ourselves, “What more can we do for our brothers and sisters who suffer?”
We now know that the death toll may reach far beyond 200,000. In contrast, 57 people died fifteen years ago when an earthquake of similar magnitude hit Northridge, California. The Haiti earthquake was so deadly, in part, because of the nation’s dire poverty. It has not had the capacity to construct quake resistant buildings. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and was still recovering from deadly 2008 hurricanes when the quake struck. Haiti has been poor for a long time, and has long been plagued by political corruption. It is difficult to absorb the misery and devastation our Haitian brothers and sisters are enduring, especially since Haiti is so close to the United States. For instance, Miami lies closer to Haiti’s capital than to the capital of West Virginia.
Almost immediately following the earthquake, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the Catholic international relief agency, began delivering lifesaving supplies, including food and water, to desperate survivors. The supplies were already in place in CRS’s Port-au-Prince warehouse. CRS has been in Haiti for over 55 years. They have a staff of 313 on the ground, with more personnel arriving daily. CRS Haiti’s headquarters building was damaged but did not collapse. Until its structural integrity is assured, aid workers are working and sleeping outside in tents or cars.
Fifteen hundred metric tons of wheat and oil have arrived and is being distributed. In the neighboring Dominican Republic, CRS is preparing food packages to feed 50,000 people. The packages are five-gallon buckets loaded with ready-to-eat foods that don’t need to be cooked. CRS is also readying water storage containers, water purification tablets, hygiene kits, cookware and plastic sheeting in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Beyond responding to the immediate emergency, much work remains to be done with clean-up and rebuilding efforts. CRS’s long-term presence in Haiti makes it extremely well positioned to provide effective relief and development programs. CRS’s reputation as an effective, efficient, and accountable operation is unassailable and seldom equaled. A wisely-designed endowment allows CRS to devote practically every penny of your contribution directly to serving the poor and distressed, rather than siphoning off a considerable amount for administrative costs, as some other charities do. The fine people who work for CRS are committed and courageous. They work for you and are doing remarkable things on your behalf; saving lives, providing relief, and improving conditions in 100 countries throughout the world. CRS personnel are the hands and feet of Christ. But they can’t do His work without your help.
Your response to Bishop Bransfield’s appeal on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Haiti has been immediate, heart-felt, and generous. As this article goes to print, the diocese anticipates a total collection of over $250,000 from donations and pledges. Your continued generosity will make even higher amounts probable. Bishop Bransfield is very grateful for your warm response to this unimaginable crisis, and he has worked hard to secure other funds as well. In addition, Bishop has asked me to remain alert for opportunities in the future for a group from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to travel to Haiti to assist with rebuilding efforts.
I, too, wish to add my sincere thanks for your generosity, and I urge you to do whatever you can to continue to support the efforts of CRS to assist the people of Haiti. Recovery will take many years. Please consider making a long-term commitment with regular contributions if you are able. The diocese will transmit your donation directly to CRS, without taking any assessment. As you well know, hundreds of thousands of people are still suffering. They need our continued help.
May God bless you and grant you peace. |