| This writer entered into a discussion with an | | | | international community to cancel Haiti's foreign debt. |
| acquaintance friend in San Francisco’s Bay Area, | | | | The WCC press statement offers a genuine stance |
| and the surprising question Does the Church do | | | | of economic reform of this kind of aid, in a concerted |
| anything for Haiti, donate money or such to help with | | | | effort by its members to take action on the world |
| the disaster? | | | | stage: |
| How shocking. Of course, churches of various | | | | In addition to debt cancellation and short-term |
| denominations make donations of various important | | | | emergency relief, Haiti needs "reconstruction and |
| kinds in money, aid, direct help, and even in action for | | | | sustainable development in the medium and long term." |
| larger economic questions. Though my acquaintance | | | | But "any financial assistance should come in the shape |
| and this writer had neither time nor other mutual | | | | of grants, not loans that would burden the country with |
| interests to enter into a fuller conversation, this article is | | | | more debt", the WCC statement says. |
| an attempt to name just two ways Haiti is helped by | | | | Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the western |
| churches. | | | | hemisphere, is also a heavily indebted country. In spite |
| Needless to say, shocked by my acquaintance’s | | | | of having had some 1.2 billion US dollars of foreign debt |
| ignorance, it occurred to me that others might not | | | | written off last June by international financial institutions, |
| realize that so many Christians make an effort of | | | | the country still owes some 641 million US dollars to |
| large measure to help those in need experiencing and | | | | multilateral banks and countries. This year Haiti is |
| living with a natural disaster. Haiti is a significant focus | | | | scheduled to pay some |
| of this kind of activity and concern. Organized religion | | | | 10 million US dollars to the International Monetary Fund. |
| does and has responded. | | | | As a caption to the picture of a woman feeding a |
| The Presbyterian Church USA has a hospital in Haiti | | | | child in this story, WCC offers a strong remark: |
| and just recently that denomination announced: | | | | "Obliging Haiti to make debt payments at the expense |
| “Hôspital Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Hospital) and an | | | | of health care, education and other critical social |
| affiliated nursing school in Léogâne, Haiti, have | | | | programmes is illegitimate." The photo is by |
| been approved to receive a $200,000 grant from | | | | Paul Jeffrey/ACT. |
| Louisville-based Presbyterian Disaster Assistance | | | | In the second picture is seen: A survivor of the |
| (PDA).” | | | | earthquake engaged in cleanup efforts in the |
| In a specific way, denominations work together. The | | | | Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Belair. |
| grant request was sent to PDA, and the much-needed | | | | Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT. |
| funds were approved within two hours. The hospital | | | | The World Council of Churches is a fellowship seeking |
| and nursing school are ministries of the Episcopal | | | | unity, a common witness and Christian service. The |
| Diocese of Haiti and have been a major focus of | | | | WCC brings together 349 churches, denominations |
| Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission in Haiti. | | | | and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and |
| Léogâne is near the epicenter of the Jan. 12 | | | | territories throughout the world, representing over 560 |
| earthquake and both facilities sustained serious | | | | million Christians and including most of the world's |
| damage. | | | | Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, |
| Here is a quote from the Presbyterians: | | | | Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well |
| “We’ve been told by our Episcopal partners in | | | | as many United and Independent churches. While the |
| Haiti that despite the damage, the nursing school began | | | | bulk of the WCC's founding churches were European |
| operating as a makeshift hospital within a half-hour of | | | | and North American, today most member churches |
| the quake,” said Randy Ackley, PDA coordinator. | | | | are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the |
| “In addition, nursing students have established 10 | | | | Middle East and the Pacific. |
| first-aid stations around the main part of Léogâne. | | | | As an end note, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of |
| The people on the ground are working hard to help | | | | America reports, The Haitian people are "living with |
| one another and this grant is one way we can support | | | | hope," says Louis Dorvilier, a member of the |
| their live-saving efforts.” | | | | churchwide staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in |
| News media have reported that 80 to 90 percent of | | | | America (ELCA). He said despite many difficulties |
| the buildings in the main part of Léogâne were | | | | forsurvivors of the Jan. 12 earthquake, Haitians living in |
| destroyed. The PDA grant will support electrical power | | | | temporary shelters can be heard singing and |
| and distribution needs, water and sanitation facilities, | | | | worshipping -- similar to eyewitness reports of other |
| fuel for generators and vehicles, and salaries for local | | | | ELCA members in Haiti in the days after the disaster. |
| staff involved in the cleanup. | | | | |
| This is specific, ongoing, hands-on, on-the-ground and | | | | Addendum: |
| at-the-scene help that includes significant coordination | | | | This series of facts on Haiti is published by WCC: |
| and work and a significant sum of money. | | | | |
| Gifts by congregations and members sent to the | | | | Population |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for | | | | 8,549,254 |
| response to the earthquake in Haiti total more than | | | | Surface area: |
| $2.7 million through Jan. 29, according to ELCA | | | | 27,750 km2 |
| Treasurer Christina Jackson-Skelton. Nearly 16,000 | | | | Capital: |
| individual gifts have been sent to the ELCA, she said. | | | | Port-au-Prince |
| Politico-Economic matters are being raised by | | | | GNI per capita: |
| churches, and The World Council of Churches (WCC) | | | | 400 US$ |
| recently joined with their many church voices to | | | | Classification: |
| request cancellation of Haiti’s foreign debt. They | | | | Least developed country |
| say: | | | | Languages: |
| An "immediate and full cancellation" of Haiti's foreign | | | | French |
| debt would be "only an initial step", as the | | | | Creole |
| quake-stricken country needs a broader "plan to | | | | Religions: |
| support recovery, poverty eradication and sustainable | | | | Christian: 96.00% |
| development". | | | | Spiritist: 3.00% |
| In fact, as part of the January statement, general | | | | Other: 1. |
| secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has called on the | | | | |