Haiti Earthquake Relief

By Jane Sutton-Redner, World Vision

First Haiti, now Chile. Here’s how you might pray for people affected by disasters, sparked by daily life moments.

1. Waiting at the drive-through for coffee or fast food, think of people standing in long lines for food distributions. Picture their anxiety—Will there be enough? When this food is gone, what’s next? Pray for a steady supply of food and drinkable water for survivors in their time of need.

2. As you pop a pain reliever or stick a band-aid on a cut, remember people wounded in disasters. Their injuries can become fatal if they’re not treated in time. Pray for doctors and nurses to swiftly help the wounded—especially frightened children—with the right medications and supplies.

By Fiona Perry, World Vision UK

I have been in Haiti for a month, helping to address the health, hygiene, and nutritional needs of those affected by the January earthquake. World Vision is working in eight camps in the capital, all filled with thousands of people who have had their homes destroyed and have nowhere else to go.

Students around the country have been organizing events on their campuses to raise awareness and funds for the relief efforts in Haiti. We’ve seen creativity abound as students are stepping up and using their gifts and resources to make a difference. At the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), students have created a collaboration of 38 different student organizations to raise support for Haiti. This collaborative effort, known as Illinois for Haiti, has a goal of raising $10,000 to support emergency relief and rebuilding in Haiti. There are already 16 different events taking place this semester on UIUC’s campus to help reach this goal.

After recognizing that many student organizations on campus were doing fundraisers for Haiti, the idea came up to create a network and a website where organizations could post their different events and work together to raise money. One of the partnered organizations is UIUC’s ACT:S group. Jonathan Lo, a senior majoring in electrical engineering, is the advocacy chair for the group. He’s been one of the leaders within Illinois for Haiti and is amazed by the response. “Things like this are only possible with the grace of God. We never imagined this collaboration would be so big, but with God all things are possible.”

We had the opportunity to ask Jonathan some questions about Illinois for Haiti. Here are some things we learned from Jonathan that will hopefully help other campuses wishing to form similar collaborations on their campuses.

Nearly a month after the catastrophic quake, Haiti's survivors face more than just staggering physical needs such as food and shelter. More than 9 out of 10 people World Vision staff members spoke to had lost loved ones -- including friends, extended family, or close family -- and need to make time for grieving and establishing normal routines in order to recover. Access to the basics of life and some sense of control is also an essential part of coping with loss.

World Vision spoke to 150 people across three sites in Port-au-Prince, where our teams are providing emergency supplies and services to children and families. More than 40 percent of people asked had lost an immediate family member, while 14 percent said multiple members of their immediate family had been killed by the quake.

ADVOCATE for Haiti : Tell President Obama to Put Children First!

Colts or Saints? Either Way, Winning Outcome for Children in Need
Super Bowl apparel bound for Haiti through World Vision

Regardless of which Super Bowl team is victorious in Miami on February 7th, one thing is certain – either outcome will benefit the children and families left with few possessions after Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake. World Vision, the humanitarian organization which annually receives all donated, post-season apparel from the NFL and its partners, will this year send Super Bowl game-day clothing to Haiti, followed by larger quantities in the coming months.

By Rich Stearns, President of World Vision US, author of "The Hole in Our Gospel"

Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, who of us has not asked the question, “Where was God?” The sudden deaths of so many innocent people and the staggering human suffering that persists seem to mock the very notion of a loving God. Where is God in Haiti?

There was another time that God was mocked in the face of suffering and evil. It happened on Calvary as Jesus Christ, God’s own son, was spat upon, beaten, and hanged on a cross. And people asked, where was God then? If he was God, why didn’t he save himself?

World Vision writer, James Addis, reports from on the ground in Haiti at a World Vision food distribution.

ADVOCATE for Haiti : Tell President Obama to Put Children First!

ACT NOW: Donate to World Vision's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund through Facebook Causes.

Mobilize a Prayer Gathering for Haiti on your campus, church, or community.

James from World Vision ACT:S has an article up on Relevant Magazine’s website called “The Good News about Haiti.” In the article James, shares his thoughts on the unbelievable response to the earthquake from the ACT:S network and how it is so important to continue to respond to emergencies like Haiti and also issues around the world like AIDS, malaria, hunger, and child slavery. Check out the James’ thoughts here.