Here's one way you can help Haiti, in addition to prayer

I have just learned that our Haiti partners in ministry, Father Fritz Valdema, and his wife Carmel and their family are safe. They slept outside last night. They still have little news of church members.

Knowing that Penny and I and our mission team have recently returned from Haiti, people are writing and calling, asking how they can help Haiti following the horrific earthquakes and aftershocks of Tuesday, January 10.

Today, Penny and I sent a check to Episcopal Relief and Development, The Episcopal Church Center, 815 Second Ave., New York, NY, 10017.

Dave and Alice Williams, Episcopal Relief and Development coordinators for the Diocese of West Missouri, write:

"Episcopal Relief and Development is well established in Haiti and will respond immediately to the needs of the Haitian people.

"Through our program partner, the Diocese of Haiti, we already have people on the ground, and we already have contacts with local authorities and agencies to quickly provide aid and assistance to the people.

"ERD doesn't have to organize a team or send people into the country or establish aid centers; we're already there!

"Please help by contributing to ERD...; 92 cents of every dollar given through ERD will go directly to the people of Haiti.

"Checks with "Haiti Relief" in the memo field will go directly to the support of the Haitian recovery efforts.

"...We will be having a conference call tomorrow evening with ERD New York and the ERD Network and if anything new or different comes from that, we'll let you know immediately...."

Thank you for your prayers and other expressions of concern for the people of Haiti.