Help out the victims of the Haiti Earthquake

WELS Committee on Relief is in the process of releasing a $25,000 grant to an international relief agency to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti this week. The committee will also be meeting Sat., Jan. 16, to discuss how to allocate incoming donations for relief efforts. Mr. Mark Vance, director of operations, says the committee will make a firm decision after members have had a chance to fully communicate with WELS contacts in neighboring Dominican Republic.

Among the possibilities are also releasing the incoming dollars to international relief agencies, or to U.S. government relief efforts or potential relief efforts undertaken by WELS contacts in the region. WELS has no official presence in Haiti, but Rev. Philip Strackbein, a member of the Latin American Traveling Theological Educators team, is based in Dominican Republic.

Strackbein reports that he felt the earthquake, but there were no injuries or damage to any structures in and around Santiago where he is based. He says about 10 of his students have relatives in Haiti; it's not yet known how those relatives fared. Strackbein is asking for prayers for their safety. You can read his full account on the WELS blogs.

Donations to the earthquake relief effort can be made online. Checks can be made out to WELS Committee on Relief. Designate Haiti earthquake and mail to:

WELS Committee on Relief
2929 N Mayfair Road
Milwaukee, WI 53222-4398

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. For details, 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, please say “directory” then enter extension 8