There When They Need Us

Dear Friend,

Six months ago the earth shook in Haiti for 35 seconds. Thirty-five seconds that ended so many lives and changed many more. Let me share with you a story that is very typical of life in Haiti over the last six months.

Elucienne Lampi was at her street stall selling goods when the quake hit. She ran home to find that the house next door had collapsed onto hers, bringing down the roof. Luckily, everyone was okay. Since then, Elucienne, her three daughters and three grandchildren have been living at one of the hundreds of camps in Port-au-Prince that sprang up after the quake.

At first they only had clothing and sheets to cover themselves, but they later received tarps and other materials to construct the 8-foot-by-15-foot tent they now live in. Elucienne has used sheets to divide it into four different sections. It is hot under the tarps and, unless it rains, everyone is outside by 8 a.m. In the early days, there was no bathroom, so people were forced to go behind trees. Neither was there a supply of clean water.

Read this month’s letter from CRS President Ken Hackett.

Niger: Hunger Pains a Nation Across Niger, people are desperately hungry, and livestock are dying. CRS is delivering food and putting people to work.
Healing From War’s Brutality in Congo St. Camillus parish in Maryland reaches out in faith to serve women whose lives have been torn apart by rape as a weapon of war.
New Limbs for Sri Lanka’s Amputees What is lost in an amputation is more than a limb. New technology helps survivors regain identity and independence.
Helping Sudanese Rebuild in the South After decades of war, CRS is helping half a million Sudanese to rebuild their lives and repair relationships in the south.
Cracking Poverty in East Timor In East Timor, CRS is teaching farmers better techniques to harvest and sell cash crops. More income helps pay for education and food for locals.
Simple Tools, Big Benefits Learn how six everyday items are changing life for the better in earthquake-devastated Haiti.

CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.
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