In the wake of a natural disaster or emergency, it is natural to want to help. In the very early stages of relief, particularly as power and communications still remain down, the physical needs of those affected are difficult to fully understand. Well intentioned donations of physical items like blankets, clothing, toys etc can often become an unintentional burden in these early stages, as they take extra resources to store, ship and allocate.

As the situation develops, we’re encouraging those wanting to help right away to donate financially, as funds can be utilised quickly, efficiently and to respond to the absolute greatest need. As the Anglican church develops it’s short term response plan, the need for physical goods and service will become apparent, revealing where people can send items that can enrich people’s lives and wellbeing as they rebuild their communities. This is Hāpaitia – to share a burden.