Bishop David Bard invites the Michigan Area to remember our Haitian brothers and sisters.
KAY DEMOSS
Senior Editor-Writer, Michigan Area
Advent is a season of promise … a promise of hope, peace, and joy delivered to a waiting world with the birth of God’s Son.
Bishop David Bard has made an Advent Appeal to the United Methodists of Michigan. “As we remember the miraculous gift of the birth of our Savior, let us share a message of support, hope and love for the people of Haiti through our gifts.” The Bishop adds, “Let us bring God’s light to those living in darkness.”
The Michigan Area Haiti Task Force, comprised of members from both the Detroit and West Michigan conferences, will designate the use of the contributions that are made to the Michigan Area Advent Offering. Checks should be made payable to:
- Detroit Annual Conference with Haiti Task Force – #0861 in the memo field.
- West Michigan Conference with remittance Report Fund Number 5910 under Conference Ministries (Lane 6) and indicate “Bishop’s Appeal for Haiti.”
Advent starts Sunday, November 27 and runs through December 24. Resources have been developed to help promote the Advent Offering. Click here for a bulletin insert for use in worship or church newsletters.
The Haitian Advent Appeal is multi-generational. Glenys Nellist, Children’s Coordinator for the West Michigan Conference has written a Children’s Message for use by congregations. Pastors and teachers may share this story with children to interact with them, at their level, about the disaster that continues to unfold in Haiti. Click here for a detailed script that can be used in worship, Sunday school or some other Advent setting to engage children in praying for and caring for Haitians like 10-year-old Fanaika.
It was a dark time indeed when Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti in October. The water and winds killed 900 persons and hundreds of thousands were made homeless. In addition, crops were destroyed in the fields and drinking water was fouled.
In the weeks that followed, the Michigan Area Haiti Task Force (MAHTF) has been actively working with the United Methodist Council on Relief (UMCOR) and the Methodist Church in Haiti (EMH) to provide assistance to our sisters and brothers there.
MAHTF chairperson, Rev. David Hills, reports that a seven-member Hurricane Response Task Force has been in weekly contact in order to coordinate the response on the ground in Haiti. David says that UMCOR is currently focused on humanitarian efforts distributing food, water filters, seeds, and micro-grants. The Haiti Task Force is also collaborating with Haitian Methodists in repairing the Jeremie Guest House so that it will be fully operational and ready to receive Volunteer in Mission Teams in January, 2017.
Carmen Zeigler was part of a team just returned from Haiti. Representing the Michigan Area Haiti Task Force and The Jeremie Project, they offered almost $8,000 in relief funds that purchased beans, rice, tarps, and medicine. They were also able to pay labor costs for roof repair on eight churches. Three team members provided leadership for the Local Pastors’ Academy, one teacher and two facilitators.
Carmen says, “No words can help people understand the shock to your senses, the depth of sadness, and the quiet grief you can see in the eyes of friends in Jeremie.”
The team visited the hardest hit part of the country, the southwest. Carmen observes, “The storm lasted 16 hours. The winds uprooted trees or stripped them of all foliage. And 99% of the roofs are gone. Families lost all belongings, their food and their homes.” She continues, “It has rained every day, except two, since the hurricane and people have no protection from the sun or rain.”
Carmen explains that there is a limit on the UMCOR funds that can be allocated to rebuild churches.
At least 16 Methodiste churches in the Jeremie and Leon circuits have lost roofs and cannot be used for worship. “The church,” Carmen adds, “is the center of many communities and a symbol of God’s presence.” She estimates that each roof rebuild will require $12,000-20,000.
Carmen concludes on a personal note, “I worshiped in a classroom under the church in Gommiers last Sunday. The congregation sang, ‘This Is my Song.’ This is my home, the country where my heart is, here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine. We have an opportunity to help them keep their hopes and dreams alive and give them back their holy shrines.”
Last Updated on November 29, 2016