An appeal launched by the Methodist Church and MRDF in the wake of the Haiti earthquake has broken the £80,000 barrier.

It raises the total amount of funds donated by the Church’s World Mission Fund to £100,000 after an initial grant of £20,000 was given towards the relief effort in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

The funds will go directly to the Methodist Church in Haiti, which is distributing aid to survivors.

The Rev Gesner Paul, District President of the Methodist Church in Haiti, said: “We thank you for standing near us at this time of severe difficulty and continue to count on your support by any means as we try to recover from this very traumatic disaster.”

The Rev Tom Quenet, Methodist Partnership Coordinator for the Americas and the Caribbean said: “We continue to be amazed by people’s generosity. While Haiti will remain in the news for a little while, we are in it for the long haul. We will continue to work with the Methodist Church in Haiti, helping them to rebuild their lives and communities long after the news crews have gone.”

Rev Quenet plans to lead a delegation of Methodists to Haiti, including Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, who was ordained in Haiti, and the Rev Marcus Torchon, a Haitian minister in Britain whose family has been affected by the quake.

Donations MRDF will also go towards work being undertaken by its partner Action by Churches Together International. ACT is distributing basic necessities like food, water, blankets and tents to tens of thousands of survivors. Part of its response also includes counselling and constructing water purification systems and latrines to stave off water-based diseases like cholera.

Kirsty Smith, MRDF Director said: “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported our appeal. These gifts will help to reinforce the relief efforts on the ground. The earthquake has caused major devastation to a country that was already battling extreme poverty. Key services and institutions have been totally destroyed. We will continue to do all that we can to make a difference.”

According to the Haitian government, the death toll from the 12 January earthquake has risen to 150,000 in capital Port-au-Prince alone, but the overall death toll could be double that once the count comes in from areas outside the capital. An estimated three million people are in need of aid.


To donate to the Methodist Church/MRDF appeal visit: www.justgiving.com/Methodist-Church-Haiti-Appeal