Haiti Mercy Projects

Haiti Earthquake Initial Response
LCMS World Relief and Human Care (WR-HC) and LCMS World Mission sent relief teams through the Dominican Republic to coordinate with and assist local church leaders to respond to those affected by the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. This disaster grant from WR-HC helped purchase water, food, medical supplies and other emergency or hygiene items. Learn more about earthquake response in Haiti.

Assistance for Haiti Earthquake Survivors
Aid from the LCMS for Haitian earthquake survivors was channeled through the Dominican Republic Lutheran Mission. Immediately following the earthquake, a disaster grant from WR-HC enabled the mission office to coordinate two weekly shipments of food and water to Haitian church leaders in Jacmel. Additional grants funds purchased and transported tents and supplies to be used by Mercy Medical Teams in Jacmel.

Material Aid for Haiti Earthquake Response
Due to limited access within Haiti immediately following the earthquake, WR-HC staff made purchases to aid survivors while in the United States prior to travel to Haiti. Purchases were hand carried to Haiti by assessment or medical team members, or purchased and transported by vendors who were contacted directly by WR-HC staff.

Emergency Assistance for School Meal Program
The social ministry organization, Trinity/HOPE, financially assisted schools in Haiti, particularly school food programs. The schools’ meal program costs were expected to rise after the January 2010 earthquake. With a disaster grant from WR-HC, Trinity/HOPE gave additional funds to the school to cover additional expenses for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year.

Haiti Earthquake Response-Artibonite
WR-HC provided a disaster grant to Lutheran World Relief (LWR) for relief and rehabilitation work in Artibonite. They planned to use the grant to distribute goods, establish cash-for-work programs, ensure a safe water supply and adequate sanitation, to monitor and treat illnesses, and more.

Earthquake Recovery Initial Phase
The rainy season rapidly approached after the earthquake in Haiti and more substantial shelter was urgently needed. Heavy equipment was rented to aid with debris removal. Land and building materials were purchased prior to the arrival of volunteers to help build model homes. A disaster grant from WR-HC enabled this work.

Long-Term Medical Strategy
A disaster grant from WR-HC provided medical clinics made from retrofitted shipping containers to be placed in three Haitian cities. Haitian Lutheran partners will identify a medical team for each clinic. Each clinic will include a pharmacy and serve as host locations for visiting short-term medical teams. Sliding scale fees will help build sustainability for continued operations. 

Haiti Earthquake Projects Manager
With a disaster grant from WR-HC, a projects manager was hired to manage the large number of earthquake relief projects in Haiti and act as a liaison among the Lutheran church bodies in Haiti.

Volunteer Coordination-Building Hope and Homes in Haiti
Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) will help WR-HC manage U.S. volunteers going to Haiti to work on the Building Homes and Hope in Haiti project. LCC will hire two or more staff in Haiti and a Haitian volunteer coordinator in the states to oversee this work.

Headquarters/Village Property Purchase 
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) is anxious to help congregations and community members acquire safe, affordable housing in their efforts to recover from the January 2010 earthquake. A disaster grant from WR-HC enabled the ELCH to purchase property in Leogane suitable for building multiple structures.

House of Love and Hope Repairs and Operation Support
Even though the orphanage House of Love and Hope did not have structural damage in the January 2010 earthquake, the children and staff were traumatized and regular operations were disrupted due to lack of food and other items. Equipment and supplies will be purchased and installed so the orphanage can be fully functioning. With a disaster grant from WR-HC, plans are to increase the number of orphans served from 12 to 20 and provide all orphans with sufficient food, clothing and school supplies. Grant funds will also be used to pay salaries of the orphanage aides. 

Visiting Professors for Haiti Seminary

ELCH President Marky Kessa and the Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti (CTSH) faculty requested Concordia Theological Seminary professors to assist with the training of pastors. Visiting professors from the Fort Wayne, Ind., seminary taught intensive courses for the Haiti seminary, which has no permanent site.

Assistance with Cholera Outbreak
Water systems were damaged in January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and large numbers of people have relocated to temporary camps with limited sanitary services: breeding grounds for the cholera outbreak. With a disaster grant from WR-HC, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) will provide disinfectant supplies, bottled water and tablets to disinfect other water supplies. Congregation leaders will educate people in their communities about how proper hygiene will help prevent the spread of this disease. Learn more.

Assistance to Cholera Victims
Unsanitary conditions are affecting people throughout the country. The Lutheran Church of Haiti plans to purchase serum and antibiotics and dispense them through clinics in Poto and Gonaives.

Response to Cholera Disaster
The WR-HC projects manager in Haiti will coordinate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti and the Lutheran Church of Haiti to distribute bottled water being shipped to the Caribbean nation and to purchase and disburse water filters and purification tablets.

Hurricane Tomas Response
The brunt of Hurricane Tomas did not make landfall in Haiti, but the residual wind and water caused enough damage to areas throughout the country that are still trying to recover from the January 2010 earthquake. Roofs, homes and other buildings were damaged; gardens were flattened or flooded; tents were destroyed. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti will assist families and pastors in Les Cayes, Leogane, Ouanaminth, Cap-Haitien and Arcahaie.

Trinity/HOPE’s Continuing Response to Hunger and Haitian Disasters
Since 1999 Trinity/HOPE has provided lunches for children attending Lutheran schools.  After the January 2010 earthquake, an additional 17 schools were immediately added to the program due to the extreme need that developed so quickly. WR-HC awarded a disaster grant to Trinity/HOPE to help bridge the funding gap until additional sponsors can be obtained.

For more information on mercy work in the LCMS, contact  us at 888-THE-LCMS (888-843-5267) or infocenter@lcms.org.