Three weeks and counting---How to help now?
We passed the three-week mark in the storm's aftermath. Tremendous advances have been made in getting Funchal up and running, but like a body that's been battered or had to be operated on, even after the wounds have healed, the scars remain. Some scars we may get used to in time, but they will be scars, all the same.
Through the consulate, I was asked to advise on how US Gov't. aid was to be best distributed. A US$50,000 grant went to Cáritas, a relief agency of the Diocese, which took a lead role in the initial relief efforts. Another government program was available to channel funds for disaster relief for "specific, tangible" projects, up to US$10,000 per project. Within a week I had received proposals for 41 different projects! In the end, a total of US$50,000 was awarded to 5 projects, and my folder still had 36 proposals in it.
Portuguese Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical churches in mainland Portugal have started a fund to help Madeira. The President of the Alliance came to Funchal last week and met with us 6 local evangelical pastors, seeking advice on how best to use the funds that are sent in. Based on a couple of the 36 projects in my folder, it was decided to contact the city of Câmara de Lobos, just to the west of Funchal, to help buy appliances and basic furniture to rehouse the 75 families in that area that lost their homes. (One estimate pointed to an island total of 600 families that will have to be rehoused.) Another pastor and I were appointed to speak with the local officials about the mechanism for the distributing of this aid (estimated to be around €6000, approx. $9000). The city will list the families and specific needs for each (stove, refrigerator, beds, etc.) and a couple of the pastors or church members will purchase items to fill the list provided by the city hall, for delivery to the specific address.
Our church's account
Roberto, our church treasurer, said that we already have close to €1000 in the special account we designated to help those in need. We have purposed to use all funds sent to help the community outside the church; any needs of our members will be handled through our own general fund. Again, based on the information gleaned from proposals made for aid, we are in a good position to contact the agencies that are dealing directly with those who lost everything. The officials are aware that there are those who will try to take advantage of the situation, and some fraudulent claims have already been detected. The local governments are making on-site inspections to verify that those applying for aid are, in fact, families that lost their houses and goods.
The bank numbers for those who are led to contribute
Due to the nature of blog postings, such information gets "pushed out of sight". I will try to get this information in the heading of the blog, or at least a link to it.
Name of Account Holder: Igreja Baptista do Funchal
BES account number for transfers between BES accounts:
0007.0167.3266
Inter-bank transfers within Portugal,
NIB: 0007 0000 00701673266 23
International Bank Transfers:
IBAN: PT50 0007 0000 0070 1673 2662 3
SWIFT/BIC: BESCPTPL
Final note regarding last week's post:
When I was at the prison yesterday afternoon, Alexei suddenly said, "Do you hear that bird singing?" It was one of those "blackbirds" I wrote about, that sing in the middle of the night and in the rain. Yesterday one of them was "in prison", perched atop a tree in the court yard. I don't think he realized he was surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.
Through the consulate, I was asked to advise on how US Gov't. aid was to be best distributed. A US$50,000 grant went to Cáritas, a relief agency of the Diocese, which took a lead role in the initial relief efforts. Another government program was available to channel funds for disaster relief for "specific, tangible" projects, up to US$10,000 per project. Within a week I had received proposals for 41 different projects! In the end, a total of US$50,000 was awarded to 5 projects, and my folder still had 36 proposals in it.
Portuguese Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical churches in mainland Portugal have started a fund to help Madeira. The President of the Alliance came to Funchal last week and met with us 6 local evangelical pastors, seeking advice on how best to use the funds that are sent in. Based on a couple of the 36 projects in my folder, it was decided to contact the city of Câmara de Lobos, just to the west of Funchal, to help buy appliances and basic furniture to rehouse the 75 families in that area that lost their homes. (One estimate pointed to an island total of 600 families that will have to be rehoused.) Another pastor and I were appointed to speak with the local officials about the mechanism for the distributing of this aid (estimated to be around €6000, approx. $9000). The city will list the families and specific needs for each (stove, refrigerator, beds, etc.) and a couple of the pastors or church members will purchase items to fill the list provided by the city hall, for delivery to the specific address.
Our church's account
Roberto, our church treasurer, said that we already have close to €1000 in the special account we designated to help those in need. We have purposed to use all funds sent to help the community outside the church; any needs of our members will be handled through our own general fund. Again, based on the information gleaned from proposals made for aid, we are in a good position to contact the agencies that are dealing directly with those who lost everything. The officials are aware that there are those who will try to take advantage of the situation, and some fraudulent claims have already been detected. The local governments are making on-site inspections to verify that those applying for aid are, in fact, families that lost their houses and goods.
The bank numbers for those who are led to contribute
Due to the nature of blog postings, such information gets "pushed out of sight". I will try to get this information in the heading of the blog, or at least a link to it.
Name of Account Holder: Igreja Baptista do Funchal
BES account number for transfers between BES accounts:
0007.0167.3266
Inter-bank transfers within Portugal,
NIB: 0007 0000 00701673266 23
International Bank Transfers:
IBAN: PT50 0007 0000 0070 1673 2662 3
SWIFT/BIC: BESCPTPL
Final note regarding last week's post:
When I was at the prison yesterday afternoon, Alexei suddenly said, "Do you hear that bird singing?" It was one of those "blackbirds" I wrote about, that sing in the middle of the night and in the rain. Yesterday one of them was "in prison", perched atop a tree in the court yard. I don't think he realized he was surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.
posted by EP | 3:42 PM | Permalink
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