Friday, February 26, 2010

Haiti

For the last few days, I have been expressing my anger (here and elsewhere) at the cold-hearted communications of our church under Watt and Rudig’s leadership. I think they have failed us miserably on some high-profile communication topics over the past couple of years.

Now let me turn 180 degrees and express my very high praise and thanks to Episcopal News Service for a job very well done. Despite what I believe are bungling managers at the top of the pyramid, we are blessed to have some good journalists working for our church.

I was ill today and spent the day at home. As I had time and was able to sit upright, I spent some time catching up on the news about the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and the aftermath of the horrible earthquake that struck there on January 12.

Although the crisis in Haiti has disappeared from our television screens, we must not let it fade from our consciousness as Christians and Episcopalians.

The Rev. Lauren Stanley (Episcopal Church Appointed Missionary in Haiti) is providing the best single source of information on the aftermath of the earthquake, news from the Episcopalians in Haiti, and the work of The Episcopal Church, ERD, and Episcopal congregations’ work with Haiti.

Lauren’s blog, Go Into the World, is the place to go for information. She went to Haiti in August, working with the Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, Bishop of Haiti, but happened to be in Virginia for her doctoral studies when the earthquake struck in January. As soon as the earthquake struck, Lauren began using her site as a clearinghouse for information, and she has not flagged. She quickly began assembling many sources of information and assistance.

As we grew to understand the hideous dimensions of the crisis in Haiti, Episcopal Relief & Development [ERD] kicked into action, leveraging its financial resources and its network of contacts on the ground. ERD is the best conduit for support to Haiti. Lauren and ERD quickly began working together.

Bishop Duracin asked Lauren to remain in the U.S. to tell the diocese's story and to coordinate information emerging from the country and offers of help that came flooding in. In a letter (available here) dated January 23, Bishop Duracin wrote:
I also am announcing in this letter that I am appointing The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley, Appointed Missionary of The Episcopal Church, to work directly with ERD on my behalf. I am asking all partners in The Episcopal Church to communicate directly with Rev. Stanley, so as to keep communications with the Diocese of Haiti open. Rev. Stanley is to communicate and work with ERD on my behalf.
The Episcopal Church has a clearinghouse of news stories here and a gallery of photographs here. Episcopal Relief & Development has a special Haiti section here.

I have been grateful for the stories from Lauren Stanley and Episcopal News Service. While I have hammered away at ENS in earlier postings about other topics, it seems only fair to observe their very fine work on this story. They are working hard to be sure we do not forget our sisters and brothers in Haiti, and I commend that work.

I was grateful to find this video, in which Lauren Stanley sat down with North Carolina’s Bishop Curry for an interview. Watch it here



or click here to view it on YouTube.

5 Comments:

Blogger Lauren said...

Thanks, Lisa! I'm honored.
AND I hope you feel better soon.

2/26/2010 10:51 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Let me guess-a Lesbian?

2/28/2010 1:28 PM  
Blogger Lisa Fox said...

No, Jerk-Off Brian. A priest.

2/28/2010 7:28 PM  
Blogger Lisa Fox said...

BTW, I thought you had finally gone away. I'll resume my role of deleting anything thing else you choose to lob into the blogosphere.

I truly wish you were not so obsessed with homosexuality. It's obvious this is the center of your life and fantasies. You have Psychological Issues about this, for which I hope you will soon seek counseling.

2/28/2010 7:31 PM  
Blogger Lisa Fox said...

I love you, Mark! You're so much better than I!

3/04/2010 11:25 PM  

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