On January 12, 2010, at 4:53 p.m. (ET), a tragic earthquake struck the small nation of Haiti. With a population of 10 million, Haiti was hard hit by this catastrophe, which injured one third of its citizens and caused 90 percent of buildings to collapse. Despite that, the seed of hope was sown through the love of God and the devotion of the members of the World Mission Society Church of God who carried out the United Nations Haiti Earthquake Relief effort.
With a burning desire to help those in need, General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol and other members of the Church of God in New York visited the United Nations Headquarters and met with Amir Dossal, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP). On behalf of the World Mission Society Church of God, General Pastor Kim delivered a donation to aid Haiti earthquake victims. This was “the largest donation made by a faith-based organization to the [UN Central Emergency Relief Fund] in history,” as reported on the UN website. The funds would be used to purchase medicine, medical supplies, and equipment to help restore the Haitian community.
Although this was the Church’s first time meeting with the United Nations, UN representatives recognized that the two organizations shared similar goals in terms of helping the global community. Mr. Dossal complimented World Mission Society Church of God’s environmental work and its commitment to serve society by stating: “We saw potentiality that the world can change if the Church of God that delivers Mother’s love will take the lead. We hope that the Church of God and the UN will work together from now on.”
The funds were collected through cooperation with auxiliary organizations. The Messiah Orchestra, an auxiliary organization of the World Mission Society Church of God, held the “Charity Concert to Help Earthquake Victims in Haiti,” twice in the month of February, shortly after the earthquake. The orchestra performed several musical pieces ranging from Western Classical to Korean traditional, as well as New Songs that express the love and sacrifice of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. The Messiah Orchestra is comprised of 120 gifted Church of God members who use their talents to glorify God.
The event was held at the KBS Busan Hall (Busan, South Korea) and attracted the attention of more than 7,000 guests. Several prominent officials were in attendance, including Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik and Kim Hyong-Oh, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. Those who could not attend sent generous donations to help this noble cause. The Messiah Orchestra shared beautiful melodies crossing the borders of language and culture, and conveying the message of love and comfort to the victims of this dreadful disaster.
Later, the Central Emergency Relief Fund presented the World Mission Society Church of God with a United Nations Certificate of Appreciation.
