Plans - Maybe?

Here's an e-mail from our World Relief:

January 14, 2010

World Relief Response to the Haiti Disaster

The Apostolic Christian Church has enjoyed a long relationship with the Haitian people and serving the humanitarian and spiritual needs of Haiti and it's people. Many brethren and friends have spent time in Haiti on work teams and we have a love for this country and people. We are saddened by the recent earthquake and destruction that has occurred to this island nation.

The earthquake epicenter was near the capital city of Port au Prince with the majority of damage  sustained in this area. Our brethren serving full time in Haiti reside in the city of Les Cayes, approximately 130 miles west of Port au Prince and are not in harms way. We have spoken to our brethren in Les Cayes and they are all safe. The greatest challenge is the lack of communication with Port au Prince, but there is no danger at this time.

An ACC work team is in Haiti along with several other AC brethren in Les Cayes for short term service and all are likewise safe. At the present time the international airport in Port au Prince is closed to all  commercial airline traffic. Timing for opening the airport to commercial air transport is unknown. We are working with a charter company to transport the team members out of the country through Cap Hatien as soon as possible. This may take several days to accomplish as travel logistics in Haiti remain difficult. Updates will be provided. Please continue to pray for the way to be opened for our brethren to return home.

ACWR has three families and one single sister serving full time in Les Cayes, Haiti. We do not have plans to evacuate these brethren at this time. They will form the in country leadership team for our upcoming relief efforts. We also envision the resumption of work teams when the country reopens to commercial air transportation.

The brothers on the WR board and Caribbean Committee have begun discussions regarding immediate and long term relief response. Due to the lack of communication, we are not able to assess where the need is greatest and the areas we should focus our efforts. When disasters such as this have occurred in the past, such as the Tsunami in Indonesia, the ACC and WR support has been to fund international relief organizations that carry out the relief effort. Haiti is different as we have brethren serving in the country and we work directly with a number of Haitian organizations. We are entering into new territory. Initial discussions center on the following strategy:

·Set up a fund within ACWR disaster program to receive donations from brethren, friends and others who wish to contribute to relief efforts in Haiti

· Begin assembling relief materials in the distribution centers to be able to send essential goods when the way opens up

· A team of brothers from WR Board and Caribbean Committee will travel to Haiti as soon as possible to work with our brethren to evaluate the needs and develop a plan for relief

· Meet with leaders of Haitian organizations we work with to develop partnering plans for relief efforts

· Continue to support international relief organizations, that we have supported in the past, in their relief efforts

Donations for relief can be sent to the WR treasurer or through local AC churches designated for Haiti disaster relief.

We ask that you continue to pray for the hurting in Haiti, and that the name of Jesus Christ can be glorified through this work.