webmaster posted on January 25, 2010 16:42
Within the United States, American Baptist Haitian Churches have been reaching out to their communities. In Jersey City, the Haitian Evangelical Church has been working around the clock to receive gifts and donations for relief in Haiti.
Rev. Lemaire Alerte, pastor of the Haitian Evangelical Church, gave insight into the needs of the people in Haiti. “Everyday I am in contact with people there who are working there. There were a lot of deaths. We lost many lives, and people have returned back to their hometowns. We are collecting money and food, clothes and other resources. In the church we are collecting all those items, and sending them through the American Red Cross. So, we do not know how soon they will get there but we send them this way. We have also donated money through American Baptist Churches.”
The Haitian Evangelical Church in Jersey City, NJ is also affiliated with the Haiti Enrichment Foundation. The website address for this organization is: www.hefoundation.weebly.com.
“We are trying to help complete the school to allow the children to continue receiving their education, because each of these children needs to have an education and we need to provide this for them,” Alerte said.
The school Alerte mentions, located in Grande Saline in Central Haiti, has been an ongoing project for the foundation. Alerte believes the school is important for the children following the earthquake, and also looking further into the future.
In addition to accepting both tangible and monetary donations, Alerte explains, “We are planning to go to Haiti as soon as possible. We plan to go to the Dominican Republic to buy food there, and have someone come to the border to meet us. It is our plan to go there and help.”
American Baptist congregations are responding to the earthquake through prayer and giving. Offerings are being received through One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) to aid Haiti relief - donations can be made on the American Baptist Churches USA website. Go to www.abc-usa.org, click on “Give” in the menu, and follow the steps to give now. Designate gifts to Haiti/One Great Hour of Sharing. Or, send your check made payable to “One Great Hour of Sharing – Haiti Earthquake Relief” through your normal remittance channels.