By Eron Henry
Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance, has granted an initial sum of $20,000 for relief to the Caribbean following the passage of Hurricane Sandy through the northern Caribbean and the United States.
Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands were hit especially hard by the late-season tropical storm.
Ronel Mesidor of the Haiti Baptist Convention reported that areas in and around Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, were particularly affected. A number of church buildings were flooded. At least one member of TiGoave Baptist Church died as a result of the hurricane. Mesidor also reported that Baptists lost not only their homes but also their livelihood, as many lost both crops and farm animals during the hurricane.
Jamaica was the first of the islands to get a direct hit from Sandy. “Preliminary reports have indicated that about 15-20 of our (Baptist) buildings have been affected,” said Jamaica Baptist Union General Secretary Karl Johnson. “We are looking at a conservative figure of almost $30 million to effect repairs.”
The eastern section of Cuba, including the city of Santiago, was hit hard by the hurricane, said Joel Dupont, president of the Baptist Convention of Eastern Cuba. “There is no water, electricity, and since most homes use electric stoves, people are not able to cook even if they have food,” Dupont said. Electrical power is expected to be out for at least a month. Dupont said three pastors suffered personal loss to their homes.
“Churches in Cuba are arranging a feeding center to feed people in their community,” the Cuban Baptist leader told the Baptist World Alliance. “They are using all their funds to help families in need regardless of their faith. They have four teams in place to visit the communities that have been damaged to see how they can help. Situation in the city is critical and desperate.”
Anthony Carroll, president of the National Baptist Missionary and Education Convention in the Bahamas, said five islands suffered the brunt of Hurricane Sandy. Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, and New Providence, the island on which it is located, suffered minimal damage. The Bahamas is comprised of more than 3,000 islands, cays and islets.
The convention is assessing damage by contacting Baptist leaders at the associational level, and is in touch with the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship, one of six regional fellowships of the BWA, to plan any coordinated relief effort.
Everton Jackson, executive secretary/treasurer of Caribbean Baptists, said many people in the region “are still in shelters and are in need of basic food items and clothing.” While full assessments of the damage and needs are not yet complete, “initially there is dire need for food, water and temporary shelter in some areas,” he said. “We do appreciate the support of the BWA.”
The BWA is accepting donations for hurricane relief online or by mail: Baptist World Aid, 405 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046