From the office of President Mark Schroeder
Many WELS members were pleased to see that our synod responded quickly to assist in the massive relief efforts taking place in Haiti. That response involves a two-pronged approach, one physical and the other spiritual. On Feb. 2, Mark Vance of the WELS Committee on Relief and Rev. Robert Smith, Latin America Administrative Committee chairman from the Board for World Missions, will travel to the Dominican Republic. There they will meet with Rev. Philip Strackbein, a member of WELS’ Latin America Traveling Theological Educators team, and with Haitian members of the WELS mission in the Dominican Republic. This team will assess the situation and determine how best to address the physical and spiritual needs of the earthquake victims.
The physical needs will be addressed by WELS Committee on Relief (COR). The COR exists to provide humanitarian assistance to people around the world who have experienced tragedy or calamity. Typically, the COR does not try to enter a disaster scene directly and immediately, preferring to leave that work to the first responders who are trained and equipped for it. It does, however, provide financial assistance to non-religious groups in support of such first-response efforts. Within days of the earthquake in Haiti, the COR directed $50,000 to be used by the international relief agency CARE. CARE has used those donations to assist in getting immediate relief supplies and workers into Port au Prince and other affected areas. CARE was also responsive to requests from WELS to provide food and water to an orphanage in Haiti housing two children who had been adopted by a WELS family in Wisconsin, but had not yet been evacuated from the country. Those children made it out Jan. 22 and were united with their new family in Miami. We are thankful for the efforts of CARE and its faithful use of the financial support provided by WELS members.
The direct involvement of the COR typically comes some time after the initial disaster recovery operations and focuses on providing assistance to people to survive and to rebuild their lives. While we have no personnel on the ground in Haiti for now, the COR will be coordinating efforts to assist Haitian refugees who have moved across the border into the Dominican Republic. Already contacts have been made in the border town of Jimani where many of those refugees have fled. As gifts are received through the Committee on Relief, all possible efforts will be made to direct the help to where it is most needed.
But the COR is certainly not concerned only about the physical welfare of people. It will be working with the Board for World Missions to identify ways to address the spiritual needs of earthquake victims as well. Because some of the members of our missions in the Dominican Republic have relatives or friends in Haiti, this tragedy could be a way in which the door for gospel outreach is opened.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Thank you to all who have already donated to this effort of Christian love. If you would like to give a gift to support the efforts to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the people of Haiti, you may send a gift directly to WELS at 2929 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee WI 53222 or donate online at www.wels.net/give.
Serving in Christ,
Mark Schroeder
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is matching donations from its members to WELS Committee on Relief and other Lutheran relief agencies one dollar for every two dollars donated—up to $1 million. To benefit WELS COR, checks should be made payable to WELS Committee on Relief. Make sure the memo line of the check reads “Helping Haiti” and mail it to Thrivent’s home office: 4321 N Ballard Rd, Appleton WI 54919. Gifts can also be made online or by phone; go to www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti or call 800-236-3736 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday. When prompted, say “directory” then enter extension 83003.
