Dear Arkansas Baptists,
We continue to work diligently on two fronts in Haiti.
DISASTER RELIEF – 1) Our convention, associations and churches have partnered over the years to build a tremendous corps of Disaster Relief trained workers. Bill Cantrell is working closely with the combined national Haiti response group (IMB/NAMB/BGR/Florida Baptists) and will be coordinating Arkansas’response through disaster relief. At this time we do not have dates in hand from the national response group on when we can expect to send folks in.
2) We are gearing up to help Arkansas Baptists to respond to the North American Mission Board’s “Buckets of Hope” project. EVERYONE can participate in this and make a difference in Haiti.
Be aware that the instructions for this project must be followed exactly, even down to the type, color and contents of the bucket. Any deviation will require the bucket be rejected. See www.namb.net/bucketsofhope
We are working now to set up regional collection points in Arkansas and dates for collections to happen. That information will be broadcast later this week.
PARTNERSHIP MISSIONS – Our second front of operation is in the area of partnership missions.
1) We have partnered with a ministry in Les Cayes, Haiti, that normally does church planting work alongside Haitian Baptists. They have turned their guesthouse into a Disaster Relief headquarters for visiting doctors and nurses that are serving in a local clinic. We are told that Les Cayes has tripled in population over the last two weeks due to quake victims arriving there. Les Cayes is 120 miles southwest of Port-Au-Prince. Two Arkansas Baptist nurses, one from FBC Monticello, and one from Grace BC Camden, arrived yesterday and are hard at work. They are housed in a safe mission compound and have all provisions necessary for lodging, food, etc.
Doctors, Nurses and physical therapists willing to serve are encouraged to download and fill out the form located at www.absc.org/haiti. Participants must be totally self funded by themselves or local/church assistance (roughly $1,000 cost) and have a passport.
2) ABSC Team members Robby Tingle and Roger Gaunt , along with an Arkansas Baptist water purification expert, are on the ground in Haiti. They have identified several partnership possibilities for Arkansas Baptists. Their efforts will yield many future opportunities for ABSC churches. Stay tuned.
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We are aware of three churches from AR that are serving in Haiti. Latest news: FBC Springdale has folks on the ground at “Joy House” where they have had work since 2002. The buildings were damaged badly. Much ministry is going on there.
We have no updates on the others. See further down in the blog for the last word on those. Thanks for praying for the people of Haiti, and may the King of Kings become the true King of many hearts in that land.
