EFCA Crisis Response Making an Impact in Haiti

EFCA TouchGlobal Crisis Response is working overtime responding to the crisis in Haiti. The assessment team is networking with many national government organizations (NGOs), the US military, and other relief organizations to mobilize help for the Haitians. The team works each day from early in the morning to late at night securing needed relief supplies (food/water/fuel) and setting up locally led distribution networks. In recent days, the team secured food for 6,000 people for a week to be distributed in 3 communities. Time is spent each day:

• assessing needs in numerous locations across the area
• resourcing medical supplies for teams of doctors
• working with Vision of Hope ministries to support medical/humanitarian needs at a hospital for displaced people in Cap Haitian
• working on logistics for long term staff and team presence

Stay Connected

Blog: The Crisis Response team blog is a daily posting from those serving right now in Haiti.  Read their moving stories and gain a greater understanding of the magnitude of this crisis and the overwhelming needs.

Web site: Haiti response updates and photos are being posted on the EFCA web site.  The updates offer stories of the EFCA's work in Haiti, as well as information on partnerships and the long term arrangements being made.

Email Update: Crisis Response is sending out a daily email message with status updates, current needs, and recommendations for teams interested in serving in Haiti.  If you would like to receive these messages, you can subscribe online.

Pray

• Pray for the people of Haiti.
• Pray for the TouchGlobal first responders who are exhausted. Pray for wisdom as they make decisions about future relief work in Haiti, for continued open doors, and God's protection as they are on the front lines of this crisis.
• Pray for donations to meet the needs.
• Pray for the provision of the medical and construction teams that will be needed very soon.
• Pray for French speaking ReachGlobal staff or early retirees who might be open to helping coordinate teams in Haiti.

Give

Help mobilize the rebuilding by donating medical skills and supplies, bulk donations of food/personal care items and machines.

Give online now to support the work of EFCA Crisis Response.

Donations can be mailed to:
Earthquake Relief #21709-3970
901 East 78th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300

Please make your check out to "EFCA" and include "#21709-3970" in the memo line.

Donors have the option of listing a donation given on either 2009 or 2010 taxes. Check with your tax specialist for details.

Volunteer and Serve

TouchGlobal Crisis Response desperately needs pilots with twin engine planes. Contact haitiresponse@efca.org if you have a plane, or know someone who does, and could make flights to and from Haiti and the U.S. There will be an ongoing need for flights in the coming weeks.

Orthopedic and ER doctors/nurses and anesthesiologists with current certifications are desperately needed.  Contact haitiresponse@efca.org if you can serve. Please respond with specific dates of availability.

Work teams will be sent to Haiti to assist with relief efforts as soon as the appropriate infrastructure is set up, the needed Crisis Response staff has been deployed on the ground, and there are reasonable conditions in which volunteers may serve. Internships, short-term and long-term service teams will be needed. If you are willing to organize a team, send your contact information to haitiresponse@efca.org or call the Crisis Response office at (985) 893-0218 ext 7.