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SOCIAL ACTION COMMISION
1621 Wellington Road
Los Angeles, California 90019
213-494-9493 - voice
323-734-5003 - fax
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chairperson
Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Consultant/Director
[email protected] – email
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
BISHOP CAROLYN TYLER GUIDRY, President – Council of Bishops (323) 574-4332
BISHOP SARAH F. DAVIS, Presiding in Haiti - (713) 628- 9828
BISHOP JULIUS McALLISTER, Presiding in Malawi – (843) 206-3410
January 14, 2010
(Cary, NC) The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
stopped its winter session which included deliberations about the earthquake in Malawi
upon learning of a devastating earthquake in Haiti. “We want the members of the AME
Church in both Malawi and Haiti to know that your church stands ready to mobilize with
its partners (US AID, NGOs, American Red Cross and other faith bodies) to deliver
humanitarian relief as quickly as possible,” declares Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry,
President of the Council of Bishops.
Our hearts are heavy and because of our connection, we have moved quickly to
coordinate with fellow AMEs to answer the call to service. The Dept of Global Missions
and the Presiding Bishop of both the 16th District (including Haiti) as well as the 20th
District (including Malawi) along with SADA (the Service and Development Agency) are
actively gathering information and we anxiously await reports of the plight of our
brothers and sisters, and the extent of need. We have begun prayers for the safety of
all in the affected countries and for location of family members, and neighbors whose
whereabouts are currently unknown.
We learned much from Hurricane Katrina and those lessons will guide us as we work in
this new response. In fact, the US government is contemplating the auction of the
trailers manufactured for families in the gulf areas but never used or without a current
need. We urge President Obama to consider sending those trailers to Haiti, Malawi and
the other affected regions along with the other relief supplies.
The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, along with Bishop
Sarah F. Davis, who is making arrangements to return to Haiti, and Bishop Julius
McAllister, who is in Malawi stand in solidarity with the people of both countries. The
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Council has begun fundraising efforts by donating funds from the sale of the publication
of an annual resource guide. Even as we face economic hardships in the United
States, your bishops urge and encourage all of the members of the AME Church to
quickly respond by sending monetary donations so that the staff of the Richard Allen
Health Clinic may continue to provide healthcare. The schools in both countries may
be shelter resources so our support is critically needed. It has received the support of
the Dept of Global Witness, the Women’s Missionary Society, and expects the receive
the support from other ministries of our international body. Local congregations are
urged to accept donations for the next two Sundays and forward as follows:
1) Donations for Haiti can immediately be made at www.ame16th.com as well as
through the Department of Global Missions and Witness, under the direction of General
Officer, Dr. George Flowers and Chairman Bishop James Davis.
2) Donations for Malawi may be sent to the Dept of Global Missions also.
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