In less than a month, four killer storms, Faye, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike marched across the Caribbean and onto the southern shores of the United States leaving in their paths destruction, brokenness, and great need.

Almost immediately, the Diocese of Alabama responded, sending initial monetary gifts to the Diocese of Louisiana, and the hard-hit Diocese of Haiti.   

Throughout the diocese, parishes have been offering financial aid and parishioners have been praying for the victims of the storms. 

Within a week of Hurricane Gustav's landfall along Louisiana coast, a team of volunteers from two Birmingham churches -- equipped with its own supplly of food, water, camping gear, and chainsaws -- was at work on Gulf Coast.  The six-member team from the Church of the Ascension and All Saint's Church, cut trees and cleared debris from a battered woman's shelter and from the churchyard and cemetery at St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux, La.  The team also cleared debris from the yard of the Chief of Police of Rosedale, La., who had been on the job without time off since the hurricane, according to The Rev. Stephen Hood, Ascension's rector, and leader of the team.

In many places hard hit by the hurricanes more help is needed.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has suffered disproportionately: hundreds are dead, thousands are displaced, roads are impassable, and thousands have no food, shelter or clean water.

The churches and communities in the Croix des Bouquets Parish where, Alabama's companion diocese relationship is focused were spared the worst of the disaster.  However, the Rev. Fritz Valdema and his wife Carmel, who serve this parish have reported that the entire community of Gorman was flooded and the churchyard was "like a river."  At press time, the road/trail to the mountain village of Crochu, the most remote and poorest of the villages the Valdemas' serve was impassible.  However, initial reports were that the village received significant damage.  The school, rectory and church all were damaged, and the church building may be beyond repair.  Many homes were badly damaged, and subsistence farms on which many people depend for their food have reportedly been washed away, making an already severe food crisis even worse.  Damage has been reported in other villages of the parish as well.

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, our Companion Diocese, to assist communities throughout the country. Father Frantz Cole, the Development Officer for the diocese, is on site where needed, coordinating with development agents and local churches to deliver food, water, medical supplies, clothing and seeds to help replant crops. 

 "The situation in Haiti is dire," said Matthew St. John, Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean at Episcopal Relief & Development. "Thanks to our partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, we are able to deliver life-saving aid quickly and effectively. Our prayers are with all of those whose lives have been upended by these disasters."

Episcopal Relief & Development has contacted other affected dioceses in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica, as well as in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, to respond to their requests for emergency support.

Parishes and parishioners desiring to contribute to the relief efforts can make a donation to overall hurricane recovery effort, or designate where the contributions go.

For those who wish to contribute to hurricane relief in general which includes relief to the Caribbean, checks should be made payable to Episcopal Relief & Development with "Hurricane Relief Fund" in the memo line.  For those wanting their contributions to support relief along the Gulf Coast, checks should be made out to Episcopal Relief & Development with "U.S. Hurricane Relief Fund" in the memo line.  Parishes are asked to gather the checks and mail them to Carpenter House.

Those who wish to support recovery work in the area of Haiti where Alabama's Companion Diocese relationship is focused may make checks to their parish with "Companion Diocese Haiti Relief" in the memo line.  Parishes are asked to send one check to Carpenter House payable to the Diocese of Alabama with the same memo line.

Anyone wishing to designate their gift for a particular affected diocese may make their check payable to their parish and indicate in the memo line where the funds are to go.  Parishes are asked to send one check to Carpenter House payable to the Diocese of Alabama along with copies of the checks. 

"Everyone is asked to continue to hold those suffering the effects of the storms in their prayers," Said Judy Quick, Alabama's Episcopal Relief and Development Coordinator