CONVERGE RESPONDS TO HAITI EARTHQUAKE

                                                January 13, 2010
Dear Pastor:

We have been moved by the news reports after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.--the strongest in Haiti since 1770--struck at 4:53 p.m. yesterday 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince.

We have been attempting to contact pastor Withny Pierre, Converge WorldWide director of Haiti missions and senior pastor of El Shaddai Haitian Baptist Church, Brooklyn, N.Y. He traveled to Haiti on Monday with Dr. Dave Hall of FaithCare in Connecticut. Withny's wife reports that both men are OK. We have confirmed that short-term missionary Brittany Storkel in Cap Hatien is fine. There were only minor tremors there. We are concerned about the status of the 1by1 child sponsorship office in Port au Prince. News of Melchisidek Baptist School and Ruth orphanage in Maissade reports that things were undamaged.

Milot Leys, our administrative assistant in Port-au-Prince, and his family are O.K.

We have not heard anything concerning the well-being of Mireille Joseph, who also works in our Port-au-Prince office, and her family.

We have not heard anything concerning our office structure in Port-au-Prince.

Converge World Relief is collecting funds to assist. Likely distribution channels include our Haiti missions director, Converge Northeast Haitian ministries, Baptist World Alliance (working through the Baptist Convention of Haiti and Haiti Baptist Mission) and other channels once needs are assessed. More information will be reported as it becomes available.

To donate funds to assist this effort, please your check payable to Converge World Relief and note it is for “Haiti Earthquake Relief,” account no. 10537. Click here to donate on line and choose "Haiti Earthquake Relief - #10537" from the drop down listing. You can send your check to:

Converge Worldwide (BGC)
2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. On June 24, 1984 (UTC), a magnitude 6.7 earthquake 329 km East of this one struck the Dominican Republic, with estimated population exposures of 320,000 at intensity VII and 2,964,000 at intensity VI, resulting in an estimated 5 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.

Click here to download a pdf file of suggestions for serving in Haiti. This information was compiled by Crisis Consulting International (www.cricon).