Compassion for Haiti
The response of United Methodists to disasters and times of crisis continues to amaze me. Millions of dollars have been given already to help the people of Haiti. These dollars represent contributions made through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and do not begin to reflect the money United Methodists gave through Red Cross, cell phones, telethons, and other organizations. United Methodists respond to critical needs.
Bishop Joel Martinez released two different letters requesting that volunteers wait until the officials complete their assessment and designate how and where volunteers can make significant and compassionate contributions to the people left behind following this phenomenal earthquake in Haiti. People want to go now. They know they possess tangible talents that contribute to the transformation of individual lives and that of their communities. They reach out with loving arms, ready to give God’s entrusted gifts to make a real difference in the lives of others. Bishop Martinez assures us the people in Haiti can benefit from our volunteers for many years to come. Right now, however, the people need money and supplies to address some of the most pressing problems.
This compassionate response is repeated week after week as food is collected in local churches and distributed to those in need. Several years ago, a telephone call came to the church receptionist where I was privileged to serve as pastor. The caller began by asking a question, “Is this the church that helps people who are in need?” The receptionist was quick to respond, “Yes, we are. How can I be of assistance to you?” That story is true of so many United Methodist Churches around the world. We are the people who love and care for our neighbors. We are the church that cares when someone is hurting. We are the church that knows how to bind up the broken hearted and share the good news of God’s love and care.
The process of caring for those in need does not begin or end with just meeting the physical needs of people. The people of Haiti, the people in our communities, need our prayers. They need their spiritual needs addressed as desperately as they need their physical requirements resolved. Ministry, from a United Methodist perspective, must attend to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those God entrusts to our care. Erin Campbell, director of youth ministries at St. John’s UMC in Santa Fe, created six prayer stations symbolizing faith, supplies, volunteers, victims, rebuilding and hope, and letters to God. Such efforts demonstrate the holistic nature of the gospel and God’s expected response to those various components. We must respond to the whole person.
Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. Please give generously to meet their physical and spiritual needs. One hundred percent of every gift given through UMCOR goes to help the victims. The United Methodist Church pays all the administrative costs through different funding sources so that our gifts can have the greatest impact on those in need. You can make checks to your local churches with Haiti in the memo line (Advance # 418325) or contributions can be made on-line through the UMCOR website.
