wfn.org | UCC - Earthquake devastates Haiti, up to 3 million affected

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Earthquake devastates Haiti, up to 3 million affected

> Written by Gregg Brekke
> January 13, 2010
> Global Ministries file photo

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Caribbean island of Haiti
Tuesday afternoon leaving widespread devastation. No verified casualty
reports are available, but the Red Cross warned that up to 3 million
people have been affected by the quake.

The Voice of America reports that buildings throughout the capital of
Port-au-Prince have collapsed, including the presidential palace and
the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti. Various
news sources claim widespread casualties and destruction throughout the  island.

Mike Godfrey of USAID in Haiti reported seeing a "huge cloud of smoke
and dust" over Port-au-Prince that appeared shortly after the initial
earthquake. The cloud, caused by cement dust released in the collapse
of buildings, lingered over the city for 20 minutes.

Global Ministries, the joint world mission agency of the UCC and the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), received word from relatives
of mission personnel Kim and Patrick Bentrott that they and their son are  safe.

Also confirmed safe are members of a Disciples of Christ group from
Tennessee who are visiting Haitian mission partner, the National
Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH.)

A school and children's center at CONESPEH is home to 150 Global
Ministries sponsored children. Linda Lawrence, program administrator
of the Child Sponsorship Program, said hundreds of the nearly 600
children at the center are still in need of sponsorship following
hurricanes in 2008 and this latest disaster.

Kim Bentrott runs a medical clinic that is housed in the CONASPEH
building. Lawrence visited the center in October 2008 and said "the
building was in terrible shape" at that time. She doubts the building
could have withstood an earthquake of this magnitude.

UCC mission partner, Church World Service, reports it is sending
initial funding to its local partners in the country and is prepared
to provide CWS emergency kits and blankets to people in need.

"We're continuing to assess the situation," said the agency's
Emergency Response Director Donna Derr. "CWS staff here in the U.S.
and in the region are attempting to contact our long-time partners in
Haiti, Service Chrétien d'Haiti, Christian Aid, and the Ecumenical
Foundation for Peace and Justice (EFPJ)."

Derr said preliminary information they've received indicate that
EFPJ's House of Hope day school in Port-au-Prince, which both Global
Ministries and CWS support, is damaged. "Some EFPJ staff are trying to
determine the well-being of the children and other staff members, but
we just don't know yet. The communications are still very difficult,
very spotty."

One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) funds are being rushed to Haitian
mission partners, CONASPEH and House of Hope, to support their initial
emergency response. As damage assessments are made and plans for
relief, recovery and rehabilitation are developed, additional OGHS
funds will be shared with our partners.

The UCC's Disaster Ministries has created an update page that includes
a link to the OGHS International Disaster Relief fund donation site.

United Church News will provide updates to this story as more
information from our partners in Haiti becomes available.