Sunday, January 17, 2010

Helping Haiti


It is hard to surf the Web or turn on the television without hearing about the devastation in Haiti. At the same time, it is just that easy for us to log off or turn the channel and move on with daily life if we don't want to hear about it or see the pictures of chaos.

If you're like many, you feel helpless when you see so much loss and really wonder what you can do to help. I feel the same. But, if you are looking for a way to help and wonder how you can donate through a legitimate organization that is putting money to the right use, check out Convoy of Hope.

Convoy of Hope is the relief organization affiliated with the Assemblies of God and currently has a team working to help people in Port au Prince. Convoy of Hope was already working in Haiti, feeding 7,000 children daily, before the earthquake hit. We learned this morning that the team there had just stockpiled their warehouse with food and supplies right before the earthquake struck, and as a result were able to mobilize and immediately begin reaching out to the people there.

I know there are many organizations collecting money for the people in Haiti, and I pray that they are legitimate. However you feel led to give, please do, and if you feel led to donate through Convoy of Hope, it is easy to do so. You can also visit their website to find out more about what they are specifically doing in Haiti and what the current needs are there.

You can also view Hal Donaldson's (CEO and President of Convoy of Hope) message about what they are doing to respond to this disaster.

While they do have a team in Haiti now, they are not looking for more volunteers to travel there quite yet. The time will come for that. For now, your donations are the best way you can help. When you donate to Convoy of Hope, 90 cents of every dollar goes to aid the relief effort.

Please feel free to forward this post on to others you know who want to help and are not sure how. Again, however and wherever you feel led to give, move in that direction.

I am thankful for Convoy of Hope and for those who are willingly there, giving to the people in Haiti, and for those who are giving what they can from far away.

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