Archbishop of Cape Town to Visit Haiti

Press Release

The Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town, will leave Cape Town on 2 March 2010 for a pastoral visit to Haiti.

The purpose of the visit is to give tangible expression to the mutual commitment shared across the world-wide Anglican Communion that 'when one part weeps, all suffer together'. The Archbishop will spend time in supporting Bishop Jean-Zaché Duracin, both personally and in the care of his clergy and people, following January's devastating earthquake. Dr Makgoba will present an initial cheque for $15,000 donated by his parishioners in Southern Africa, towards the Diocese of Haiti's relief and reconstruction work, and discuss how further funds raised in Southern Africa for Haiti might best be used. At the end of his visit the Archbishop will travel with Bishop Duracin to Florida, where his wife is in hospital in a stable condition, following treatment for injuries sustained during the earthquake. (Bishop Duracin himself visited the Anglican Church in Southern Africa in 1999, as part of a delegation from The Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Peace with Justice.)

The visit is being made in partnership with The Episcopal Church, of which the Diocese of Haiti is a part. The Rt Revd Pierre Whalon, Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, will accompany Archbishop Makgoba, as will the Revd Canon Robert Butterworth, the Provincial Executive Office of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

The Archbishop will go to Haiti under the generous auspices of the South African NGO, The Gift of The Givers Foundation. Dr Makgoba will be travelling with Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Foundation which has played such a prominent role in bringing immediate search and rescue and medical relief to Haiti and is now bringing longer-term relief to those in need. Dr Makgoba will accompany Dr Sooliman on visits to projects supported by The Gifts of the Givers, and the South Africans currently in Haiti under their auspices, who work closely with local partners, including the Roman Catholic and other churches.

Notes: The visit follows the endorsement given by Archbishop Makgoba for the 'Africa for Haiti' initiative launched by Mrs Graça Machel. The text of the Archbishop's message may be found at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2010_01_01_archive.html. Further details of the initiative are available at www.africaforhaiti.com.

Those who still wish to make donations via the Anglican Church can do so as follows: Account Name: CPSA Disaster Relief Fund; Standard Bank of SA Lts; Branch - Cape Town, IBT Cod 02 000; Account Number 07 007 834.

Archbishop Makgoba will return to Cape Town on 9 March 2010.