wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Haiti urgent needs require worldwide ecumenical support

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>World Council of Churches - News

HAITI URGENT NEEDS REQUIRE WORLDWIDE ECUMENICAL SUPPORT

>For immediate release: 17 June 2010

After a 3-day visit to the earthquake ravaged areas of Haiti, a
seven-member ecumenical delegation led by the general secretary  of the
World Council of Churches (WCC), the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit,  expressed
some concerns about the role of churches in the reconstruction work  of
Haiti, the upcoming elections and the role of the ecumenical movement  in
the rebuilding of the country.

During the visit, the delegation expressed their solidarity with  the
victims of the January 12th earthquake, visited church buildings  of
various denominations that were destroyed in the earthquake and  learned of
church projects providing support and relief to the victims of the
earthquake. “It is encouraging to see that life has continued  after the
earthquake, even though the circumstances are still very difficult,�� �
Tveit noted.
Local partners are in a key position
Despite the achievements so far, the delegation expressed some concerns
before leaving the country. One of these concerns was the role of  the
churches in the reconstruction work of Haiti.

“As World Council of Churches, we need to be closer to the  local churches
in our efforts to give assistance to the Haitians,” said  Carlos Ham, the
WCC programme executive for the Latin America and Caribbean region.

“Many churches have had long-term relations supporting church  partners in
Haiti,” he continued. “After the earthquake one  of the major
instruments in channeling the aid by the church community has been  ACT
Alliance. It is important to continue strengthening these relations  and
coordination.”

The ACT Alliance is an organization of more than 100 churches and  other
member agencies working in long-term development and humanitarian
development and a partner agency of the WCC.
Concerns expressed to government
In a meeting with Haitian government officials, Ermano Exinor, Member  of
Parliament and Levaillent Louis Jeune, President of the Chamber,  on
Tuesday evening, the delegation expressed concern about the effect  of
current conditions on general elections that are scheduled to take  place
in November as well as clarifying the roles of the churches in Haiti  and
of the ecumenical movement in general.

The delegation told the leaders that strong leadership, good governance,
justice and integrity are needed now. They said in addition to responding
to specific needs of people, the civil society and churches need  to be
involved in the reconstruction process.

“It seems that there is money to build houses for the people,  but there
is no land available. There are schools to be built, but the teachers  are
not being paid their salaries,” Victoria Kamondji, vice-president  of the
French Protestant Federation said.
Co-operation needs to be strengthened
Tveit stressed that churches have a role in the change Haiti is  going
through at the moment. “We are the WCC, and it is our task  to see what
the churches can do together,” he said. “We also  need to continue
figuring out what we can do together with ACT Alliance and its members  and
partners and the other local churches in Haiti.”

The delegation also discussed how they can address the global actors,  such
as the UN, the US, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and how  to get
their messages heard. “We need to make our voices stronger,  more
credible and more effective.” Tveit said.

This can be achieved in co-operation with partners who have global  networks
and visions for the future, willingness to work for those visions  and
accountability towards all stakeholders involved, he said.

The involvement of neighboring countries, such as the Dominican  Republic,
has been of great value. “Together we can try to find ways  to strengthen
the fellowship of churches”, said Lorenzo Mota King, the  executive
director of the Social Services of the Dominican Churches, a member  of ACT
Alliance, emphasizing the commitment of Dominicans in reconstructing
Haiti.

After the visit the delegation said they will continue showing support  and
promoting prayer for the Haitians. They also want to accompany the
ecumenical efforts of the Haitian churches in order to strengthen  their
voices in this critical moment of the nation and to report to the
worldwide ecumenical movement the urgent needs of the Haitian churches  and
population in general, in order to continue seeking support.

Members of the delegation:

* Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC general secretary
* Rev. Dr Bernice Powell Jackson, WCC president from North America
* Mr Gerard Granado, Caribbean Conference of Churches general secretary
* Rev. Nilton Giese, Latin American Council of Churches general  secretary
* Mr Lorenzo Mota King, executive director of Social Services of  the
Dominican Churches, ACT Alliance
* Dr Victoria Kamondji, vice-president of the French Protestant  Federation
* Rev. Dr Carlos E. Ham, WCC programme executive for Latin America  and the
Caribbean

(Maria Halava, from ACT Alliance, reported from Haiti)

WCC   member churches in Haiti (Link:

http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=696cbcfb5c255b3d0eac )

Relief and development work   by churches  in Haiti (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=20917dcc292fa0dd7c2b )

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,  witness and 
service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship  of churches 
founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560  million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the  Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse  Tveit, from 
the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.