The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 has been on the hearts and minds of people all over the world. Those of us who are far away often feel helpless as we watch the search for survivors continue. We would like to invite you to join us in reaching out to those affected by the earthquake. There are several ways you can get involved:

1. Pray! Please join us in praying for all those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Pray that the recovery efforts go well and as few lives as possible will be lost. Pray for the safety of aid workers, those who are grieving the loss of loves ones, the medical personnel as they care for the sick and injured, and those involved in recovery, clean up and rebuilding. Please also join us in praying for the family of Josee Jean-Bart, who are directly effected by the earthquake in Haiti, as well as our friends in Yuguate in the Dominican Republic, and those who will be helping with disaster relief and recovery over the next months.

2. Donate supplies for Health Kits. UMCOR HEALTH KITS will certainly be needed to send to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. These kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the devastation. These kits can be assembled right here. We are collecting the following items, so please look for the collection box in the Narthex. If everyone pitches in a little, we can make a huge impact on people who are suffering. Let us know if you would like to be part of a team to assemble them. If you would rather someone else do the shopping for you, or if would like to contribute to shipping expenses, please make a check payable to Calvary UMC and mark UMCOR Health Kits in the memo space.

Items needed:

3. Donate money to UMCOR. The UMCOR website is http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has a long-standing relationship with Haiti through the Methodist Church of Haiti. Through these ties, getting the much needed relief to those affected by the horrific earthquake on January 12 will be more easily accomplished. If you would like to financially support their efforts, please make checks payable to Calvary UMC and mark UMCOR-Haiti in the memo space, place in one of the special UMCOR envelopes available in the pews and in the Narthex, and submit to the church office as soon as possible.

4. Donate money to World Relief. World Relief is another organization that Calvary supports. Based in Baltimore, they also have a presence in Haiti. If you would like to donate to their relief efforts, make your check to Calvary UMC and note World Relief in the memo line. For more information about their mission, visit their website at www.worldrelief.org.