MNN (MNN/BWA) — Baptists in the Caribbean plan to do all they can to help people in the islands recover from the aftermath of hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanie and the disaster they left in their wake. Grand Bahama, Grenada, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman and Haiti were all severely affected. While some people perished in all of the countries, Haiti had the biggest death toll with thousands from the mudslides and floods that engulfed helpless residents.
Vincent Wood, President of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship and an incoming Vice-President of the Baptist World Alliance has called on the Baptists in the CBF to help. “I have spoken to some of the leaders in these areas and they are all in need of our help,” Wood says.
In a fact-finding trip to Grenada, the closest island to Wood’s home of Barbados, Woods describes the visit as “an eye-opener.” Ninety percent of the houses in Grenada have lost their roofs and many houses now have a tarpaulin cover, and more tarpaulin is needed. “People are trying to get their lives back together but they have a long way to go, “Woods says.
The pastors in Grenada say the need is greatest for food supplies and then for building materials.
Woods says that several unions of countries that were not affected by the hurricane such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe and Barbados, are already helping and others have indicated their desire to do so.
Woods has asked the CBF churches to designate Sunday October 31 as “Disaster Relief Sunday” and collect a special offering for this cause to supplement other efforts. Baptist World Aid has already sent US $30,000 to help and is appealing for funds.
Pray that as they help many people will come to Christ as a result.
