Mennonite Church Canada
January 13, 2009
- Dan Dyck, with reports from Mennonite Central Committee
Winnipeg, Man. — Although Mennonite Church Canada presently
has no direct ministry involvement in Haiti, the devastating Jan. 12
earthquake evokes much compassion in our congregations for this already
fragile country.
Mennonite Church Canada enjoys a strong partnership with its relief
and development agency, Mennonite Central Committee. Relief efforts are
already being coordinated by Mennonite Central Committee. Below is a
brief update from them, along with instructions on how readers can help.
Concerned and compassionate individuals and congregations can respond
with support for relief efforts and prayers for victims and their families.
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2010
MCC responding to Haiti earthquake, welcomes donations
- by MCC staff
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is responding to the devastating earthquake
that struck Haiti late Tuesday afternoon.
AKRON, Pa. — Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is responding to
the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti late Tuesday afternoon.
Today, MCC committed $100,000 US or $103,420 CDN for immediate needs.
International Program Department Director Ron Flaming anticipates a response
of at least $1 million US or $1.03 CDN over multiple years. MCC is appealing
for donations to fund these efforts.
MCC workers in Haiti include nine people from Colombia, the Netherlands
and the United States, seven Haitian program staff members, and additional
support staff. All program staff located in Port-au-Prince, the capital,
are accounted for. Although the communications infrastructure in Haiti
has been disrupted, staff members were able to send a message via the
U.S. embassy. All MCC staff members who have been in touch report seeing
bodies in the streets, according to Daryl Yoder-Bontrager, MCC Latin
America and the Caribbean director. MCC is working to contact staff outside
Port-au-Prince.
MCC is planning its response which will include short-term
relief plus recovery efforts over the medium and long term. “We’re
looking carefully at how we can build peace, avoid violence and do good
community development at the same time,” said Yoder-Bontrager.
MCC regional disaster management coordinators Kathy and Virgil Troyer,
based in Honduras, will travel to Haiti as soon as possible to help with
the planning and implementation of MCC’s response. The Troyers
are from Orrville, Ohio.
MCC’s work in Haiti over the past years has focused on reforestation
and environmental education, human rights and advocacy for food security.
Donations to MCC’s response in Haiti are welcome. They should
be designated Haiti Earthquake. Donations can be made via:
* Online at mcc.org
* By telephone toll free – 1-888-622-6337 (Canada) or 1-888-563-4676
(U.S.)
* By mail:
MCC and MCC U.S.
21
South 12th Street
Akron, PA 17501
or
MCC Canada
134 Plaza Drive
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9
For more information please contact Ed Nyce 717-859-1151. |
