Southern Union Adventists Respond After Earthquake Hits Haiti

By: Stever Norman
Date: 01/16/10
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Southern Union Adventists Respond After Earthquake Hits Haiti

The Southern Union is joining hands with those seeking to bring relief to the nation of Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people and Church members in Haiti who have suffered from this catastrophic earthquake. Many of the Haitian members here in the Southern Union are deeply concerned. We want them to know that they are in our prayers also.

Haiti has more than 335,000 Seventh-day Adventists worshiping in 470 churches, two high schools, one university and one hospital. Most of the Church's large institutions, such as its hospital and university, are based in Carrefour, a city on the southern outskirts of Port-au-Prince.

Larry Evans, NAD Undersecretary, reports, “. . . two of our largest churches near the presidential palace were destroyed—five congregations met in these churches. One of those churches had a school, and there are serious concerns for the children who were attending school at that time.  It is believed that the Union president is alive, but contact has not been made. The Union office is not damaged seriously. One Union worker was killed when a wall felled on him. There are two missionaries in Haiti and they are alright but shaken.“

NAPS Sends Team to Haiti

A team of Haitian-American students from Oakwood University led by Dr. Anthony Paul and Marlo Hodnett, M.D., will be some of the first responders from the U.S. to the earthquake in Haiti. They will leave early Friday morning, January 15.

These students are from the National Association for the Prevention of Starvation (NAPS) at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. Also, accompanying them is a NAPS staff member who is fluent in Spanish, and will assist in the team’s trek into Haiti through the Dominican Republic. The team of six will include four students and staff, three of which are Haitian-Americans with family members in danger.

They will be braced for the second wave of danger—disease—as they provide medical relief to many of the victims. They will also be providing cholera prevention training to the youth of the country, as was done in Christmas 2008 in Zimbabwe.  

Adventist Development and Relief Agency International Sends Help

ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency International) has responded to the needs in Haiti.  ADRA is sending the following to Haiti:

1.      4.2 million water purification tablets
2.      278,460 water treatment packets
3.      55,200 oral rehydration units
4.      20 water purification units
5.      A portable water tester
6.      An inflatable field hospital (can treat 100 patients a day)

These water treatment methods can provide clean water for 90,000 people a day. The combined capability of the packets and tables will provide for 1.84 million gallons of drinking water. These items are worth $142,000.

 How You Can Give

Many church members have called to help financially.  “ADRA-Haiti is prepared to use cash donations to make a first response immediately ...  in terms of food and water to the most needy, utilizing its volunteer base," said Wally Amundson, director for ADRA in Haiti.

Here is how you can make a contribution:

1.      Go to the ADRA website www.adra.org.  You can donate by credit card or download the form and write a check, and send it by mail.
2.      You can also give through your local church.

Thank you for caring and responding to the great need in Haiti.

How to Find Relatives in Haiti

Allan Williamson, Southern Union Adventist Disaster Response Director, recommends that those seeking to find relatives in Haiti, may call the U.S. State Department Operations Center at 1.888.407.4747.
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