Thursday, January 14, 2010

Vintage Haiti Response

On January 12 the country of Haiti was hit with a 7.0 massive earthquake. The country, which is the poorest in the Americas, has been totally devastated.

For full details, a New York Times article: A synopsis of what happened.





What should our response be? How should we, as a church, come together to help bring aid? As you’ve read or heard, this is a massive tragedy, and we, the church, must have a response.






In the days ahead it will become more clear how we should be involved, but, in the meantime, we’re coordinating our response in the following ways:

Gather: (PRAY)

As Community Groups:
Over the coming days and weeks we’ll continue to encourage your community groups to be praying specifically for this crisis - Pastor Rob & Drew will continue to remind all of our Community Groups to be praying.

As families:
Pray over dinner, at bedtime prayer with your kids, with your spouse…

As individuals:
Pray in your devotional time and throughout the day.


Give: (Financially)
It is beyond belief how much has been destroyed and how many lives were lost. There are organizations already established to best utilize financial donations for maximum impact in disaster relief scenarios. So we at Vintage Church are encouraging you to give to the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund of the International Mission Board or the Samaritan’s Purse. All money given will be directed to the people and recovery of Haiti. We will take offerings over the next four Sundays, so if you feel compelled to give please designate a check and we will send it all to these organizations.

Go: (Travel to Haiti)
We want to make sure that we are a help and not a hindrance in the relief efforts. Vintage Church would encourage anyone who has a desire to go and help to wait and consider what the needs are.

It’s our understanding that as of now they’re requesting specific medical and specialized relief workers connected to relief organizations to respond. If you fit into that category and are working to get to Haiti, we would love to discover ways in which we could help. Please let us know.

What will the needs be?
In time, we may discover that it would be very helpful for our church to coordinate sending a team of folks to dig in and help. It is too early to be able to tell what the long-term needs of Haiti will be. As a church we will continue to listen, evaluate, pray and ask for Jesus to reveal how we should move.


9The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

--Psalm 9:9-10


The Vintage Staff


This is AlanseShe's an orphan that my parents support through One Vision International
She is just one of the Haitian faces that have been on my mind over the last few days.



Live the Gospel, Love the City, Be the Church!