Within a month after the devastating January 12 earthquake in Haiti, American Baptists/USA overwhelmingly responded with more than $1 million for relief efforts in that Caribbean nation.  These funds represent gifts by local congregations and individuals during the initial weeks after the earthquake as well as direct donations to International Ministries (IM) provided through mid-February.

(American Baptist Churches of Maine contributed nearly $37,000.00 of this amount during the first month after the quake.

Sanford First Baptist Church contributed  nearly $1700.00  to this amount.)

Funds are being allocated for the first two phases of Haiti earthquake response.  The first phase of relief includes the provision of medical and pharmaceutical supplies and the support of medical care through short-term work teams and local and missionary staff.  Food, water and shelter supplies are also being distributed through church connections.

In the second phase, recovery, funds will be allocated for continuing medical care for earthquake victims, for scholarship support for students who have had to move because their schools have been destroyed, for transitional housing and for micro-credit and other economic development approaches that will allow earthquake sufferers to move towards self sufficiency.

Additional donations will be required for the rebuilding phase that will include reconstruction of medical facilities, orphanages, schools, housing and church buildings.  In association with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, facilities are being prepared to host work teams that will serve under local Haitian leadership in these efforts.

 

In addition to monetary gifts, our church prepared and shipped 26 "Hygiene Kits" and "Baby Kits" which contained items much needed by those displaced by the earthquake's devastation.  (Hygiene Kits included personal items such as toothbrushes, combs, soap, washcloths, etc.  Baby Kits included items such as receiving blankets, onesies, diapers, etc.)

           Special thanks to Rev. Virginia Gass of the Sanford First Baptist Church for submitting this information.

Carl and Bev Delano are pictured with some of the personal care

items collected for Haiti  by members of the Sanford First Baptist Church.