Feb. 2, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southern Baptist medical units from Kentucky and Mississippi arrived in the Dominican Republic Feb. 1 and crossed the border into Haiti without incident, Baptist Global Response U.S. director Jim Brown has announced. Medical units from Florida and South Carolina will depart Feb. 3, taking the same route into the country, which suffered a catastrophic earthquake Jan. 12.
Brown received a text message from the medical teams during a Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Network conference call Feb. 1. The message said "the teams are at the rendezvous point in Haiti," Brown told the group. "They got through the border without problems."
The 10-member medical teams include doctors, nurses, chaplains and disaster relief experts, Brown said. They plan to treat as many Haiti earthquake survivors as possible during their five-day stay in Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding area.
Medical teams from Arkansas and North Carolina recently completed ministry stints in Haiti and returned home.
The Southern Baptist disaster response is only just beginning and volunteers who want to help in Haiti will have the opportunity, said Jeff Palmer, BGR's executive director.
"I want to urge people to pray for those who are going into Haiti to help," Palmer said. "Pray for the teams on the ground now, as they help with medical needs there. There will be many more opportunities in the future for those who want to go and help."
Because conditions in Haiti are so difficult and the needs require specialized skills, Baptist Global Response currently is sending only volunteers specifically trained and experienced in disaster relief work, Palmer added. General service opportunities for volunteers will be available soon.
The outpouring of support for Haiti through Baptist Global Response has been amazing, Palmer added.
"Southern Baptists have been overwhelmingly generous with their gifts, prayers and desire to help," Palmer said. "On behalf of Baptist Global Response, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
"Please continue to pray for the suffering people of Haiti," Palmer added. "They will continue suffering for months and years to come at the loss of loved ones and as they recover from injuries they suffered during the earthquake."
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How Can I Give?
Canadians can help financially by giving through the Canadian National Baptist Convention. Make cheques payable to CNBC noting that the funds are for Haiti Earthquake Relief. CNBC churches may collect such funding and forward through the CNBC – in order to qualify for the government matching funds we must also have a list of individual donors and amounts attached with your church cheque. (These donations must be made by February 12th, 2010.) Thank you.
100% of funds designated Haiti earthquake relief go to Baptist Global Response for Haiti relief efforts.
Send cheques to: CNBC, 100 Convention Way, Cochrane, AB T4C 2G2