Pitching in our Lot

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Guyana joins with the rest of the world in sympathising with the people of Haiti and offering practical help in response to the recent earthquake that rocked the island. Already, the Conference administration has contributed US$2,500.00 towards Haitian relief through the Caribbean Union Conference.

Meanwhile, the membership is mobilised for action under the leadership of pastors at the ground level. Pastor Richard James, Community Services Director, is coordinating the drive to amass further financial aid from brethren across the Conference. Members have been contributing through donations and ‘special offerings’ and church boards are being encouraged to give from local church funds.

All monies will be channelled through the Caribbean Union Conference and ultimately the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

Communication Director of the Caribbean Union Conference, Pastor James Daniel, shared the following update on Haiti’s situation and the world church’s response:

·            Deaths: 304 Adventists reported killed. Among them were 14 who were in choir practice when the roof and walls of Adventist Temple No.1 near the Presidential Palace collapsed on them.

·           Homeless are tens of thousands thousands who now occupy the grounds of the 50 habitable churches in the Central Haiti Conference; while 20,000 people are taking refuge on the campus of the Adventist University.

·           The Adventist Hospital, which is within minutes from the university, did not receive major damage to its building. However, medical teams are doing some surgical procedures outdoors.

·           Church buildings destroyed—115.  School buildings also destroyed. The union office received some damage.

RELIEF:

1.         Food and other supplies are reaching people. ADRA International and ADRA Inter-America, along with ADRA Haiti, began coordinating relief efforts just hours after the earthquake struck.

2.         Medical teams from Loma Linda University Hospital and Florida Hospital are coordinating doctors and channelling medical supplies into the Adventist hospital.

3.         Relief funds are being collected from Churches in several parts of the world.

4.         Caribbean Union Relief Effort shows that, as of Thursday, January 21, 2010 the churches and institutions in our Union have contributed US$282, 664 for Haiti relief. The goal is US$500,000.

The Guyana constituency remains on the alert for further developments that will be implemented to meet the inevitable challenges that will continue to develop in the wake of the disaster.