Reports are pouring in depicting the magnitude of the crisis unfolding in Haiti. The Vincentian Family has a long history of presence in Haiti and is very much present in this crisis. It may well be providential that in this year dedicated to the 350th Anniversary of Vincent and Louise the Family chose to focus on collaborative projects in Haiti.
In an effort to collate information on the Family in Haiti the Vincentian Encyclopedia has opened a page Haiti earthquake and the Vincentian Family. This is similar to the one it mounted at the time of Hurricane Katrina. The intent of this page is that members of the family may be aware of one another’s needs and efforts. Visit it frequently to learn the latest of the presence of the our charism in this devastated area. The page will also supply some of the more significant background necessary to grasp the enormity of the crisis.
Tags: Encyclopedia, Featured, Haiti, Vincentiana
Many U.S. dioceses, including Arkansas, are doing a collection for the disaster this weekend. CRS will be coordinating a lot of activities. We are advocating for TPS status for Haitian immigrants, and no Hatians will be deported at this time. For donations of goods there is information on both the http://www.whitehouse.gov and http://www.usaid.gov websites.
Sr. Mary Lou Stubbs
For the record, Haiti needs both immediate (disaster relief), intermediate (reconstruction) and long-term (systemic / disaster prevention) assistance. The Red Cross, Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, CRS and others excel in their abilities to plan and to deliver at various levels. This is where the Vincentian Family comes in. We now have in place, structures to act on all three levels. But right now, disaster relief is the order of the day. Give. Quickly. To any reputable organization. Then, give again to an organization that can care the ball further on down the road. And, as members of the Family, join efforts on any level that stirs your creative imagination. A recent article on the Brookings Web site discussed the amazing capacity of international relief systems to respond to major disasters but also the time lost in mobilizing these international resources to the site of the disaster. Much of the life-saving happens before the international agencies even arrive. While soliciting donations to help in the immediate aftermath of a disaster may be easier, funding ways for communities to respond to disasters and take efforts to reduce the risks of future disasters (e.g., hurricane awareness programs, flood warning systems) could save more lives in the long run.
A plea for funds was sent out to all employees within the Daughters of Charity Health System in California today. I am sure there will be many donations sent soon.
God bless everyone there. It must be heart wrenching.
Suzanne Cistulli
It just occurred to me that we need to keep Yasmine Cajuste, President of the JMV, in our prayers in a special way, as her entire family is in Haiti, and I believe she was in Italy at the time of the quake….