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Florida Conference Churches Respond in Haiti

Soon after the earthquake in Haiti, the Bishop asked Disaster Recovery Ministry to survey our churches in the Florida Conference to see how they were responding. We were both thrilled and humbled to see the amazing ways ours churches have responded to the needs of earthquake survivors in Haiti. Many of our churches have existing relationships in Haiti and have been engaged in active ministry there long before this disaster.

Now the goal is to organize the information gathered in these surveys in a way that will:
  • Help interested churches identify ways to join and/or support the work of FL Conference churches already ministering in Haiti;
  • Help interested churches identify new places of ministry in Haiti;
  • Eliminate duplication of efforts while leveraging relationships and maximizing resources.
Ultimately, the hope is to coordinate information and activity in a way that will facilitate more effective involvement from FL Conference churches through enhanced communication of the needs and opportunities.
 
In addition, the Florida Conference has a covenant with the Haiti Methodist Church. The Haiti Florida covenant seeks to strengthen connections between the two conferences and encourage sharing experiences and resources. The covenant fosters an equal exchange of ideas and a better understanding among Florida United Methodists about the plight of Haitians.
 
In support of our covenant, the Florida Conference has pledged to advise the Haiti Methodist Church about projects and organizations Florida Conference churches are working with in Haiti. The goal is to keep the Haiti Methodist Church informed and, wherever possible, to invite the Haiti Methodist Church into the work and relationship.
 
A steering team with representatives from the Florida/Haiti Covenant Team, the Conference Committee on Haitian Ministry and conference staff familiar with UMVIM/UMCOR processes will coordinate this effort. Look for more information from Disaster Recovery in the months ahead on ministry opportunities in Haiti.

If your church is already working in Haiti, please share that information with us so that together we can do all that God has for us. To complete the survey, please click here.