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Birthing and Layette Kits for Haiti

Birthing Kit list

Layette Kit list

Layette Nightgown pattern

Upper New York Methodists Collecting Birthing and Layette Kits for Haiti

Hours after the January 12th earthquake United Methodists were responding with help for their neighbors in Haiti.  Mission Central in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a disaster management warehouse operated by the Central Pennsylvania Conference, immediately shipped 15,000 health kits to relieve human suffering in the rubble of destroyed homes.  An appeal was sent out to churches for more kits and supplies have been flooding into the facilty ever since.

UMCOR, the disaster response arm of the United Methodist Church is now asking for help caring for new mothers and children that are being born in the relief shelters and relocation centers across the region.  Many mothers have little for themselves amid the confusion that continues in the disaster's aftermath and the recovery work that lies ahead.  Their newborns have less.

The four upstate New York United Methodist Conferences will soon conclude their work and begin building a new Conference.  It seems opportune that one of our first acts might be reaching out in service to new mothers in the ruins of Haiti.

Our new Conference is being encouraged to begin our shared mission work by bringing layettes and birthing kits to our constituting Conference in Syracuse on June 19th.   All pastors are expected to be in attendance and can bring kits from their communities.  Some churches, districts and Conferences have UMVIM construction trailers that can be filled and will provide a graphic image of coming together for a single purpose of helping others.  If possible, please bring UMVIM and Disaster Response trailers filled with supplies to help others.  We will be taking pictures!

Yes, health kits and flood buckets will also be accepted.

Please bring $1 per kit and $3 per flood bucket in a separate envelop to help with transportation.  Checks should be made out to "Upper New York Conference" with a note "2010 UMCOR Kits".

In service to others,

The Upper New York VIM and Disaster Response teams