Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)

Dear Friends, I want to invite you, as surely you have already been, to pray for those in Haiti who have suffered such terrible loss in the earthquake.  Already among the poorest of the poor, margins for survival are very slim in that country. In addition, many of the relief agencies there are devastated, and others are having a hard time getting in.

Also be praying for some of our NWYM folks, Heidi and Michael Pender (North Valley), who served in Haiti and are receiving very difficult news on a pretty steady basis.  Friends have been lost and some are missing. Heidi responded to an email of mine: “It’s all got my heart in my throat. Grieving”.

Below are some options for donations.  I sure there are others.  These are organizations we have connections to at the moment.  Others may surface or you may know of some.

Continue to pray!!

–
Shawn McConaughey
NWYM Associate Superintendent
Global Outreach and Pastoral Care

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Medical Teams International deployed physicians on Wednesday to Haiti.  Two of the physicians were medical missionaries to Haiti with long-term experience in-country and a real heart for Haiti specifically.  One of the reasons it’s good to direct donations to Medical Teams is that 96.6% of all donations go directly to helping people in need (for this crisis, 100% of donations directed to Haiti will go there).  For more information,  they have information on the Haiti response on the front page of the website.

We’re also directing people to the Compassion International Relief Fund because their offices are in the heart of the Port and we’ve witnessed the integrity with which they do their work.

For those with a cell phone, an easy way to give to the Red Cross is to text “haiti” to 90999. $10 will be added to your cell phone bill, and it goes directly to Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. The various companies involved in processing have agreed to waive their fees, so every cent will go to relief.

Here are links to reputable organizations. You can give online, or use the addresses to mail your donation:

• Compassion International
• Evangelical Friends Mission
• World Vision
• Mennonite Central Committee
• Medical Teams International (formerly NW Medical Teams)