Disaster Relief Focus

Community Services – Disaster Relief Efforts

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (Matthew 24:7, KJV) As Seventh-day Adventists we believe that this world is in the closing and final stages of its history. The Word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy give us forewarning of the events that will precede the return of our Lord and Savior. The book of Matthew tells us that there will be wars, famines, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. We know that these things are inevitable. We also realize that these events provide us with tremendous opportunities to share the love of Jesus with the victims of these disasters.

The churches in the South Atlantic Conference recently partnered with ADRA to help with their relief efforts in Haiti, following the devastating earthquake that rocked the small island nation. The following excerpt from ADRA's website tells about their work in Haiti:

“Tens of thousands of children, women, and men affected by the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 12, 2010 are now living on the streets and in makeshift camps. Many of them are in mourning for families who have died in the catastrophe; others are still hoping to find family members and friends.

adraimage001.jpg"The people need everything," says John Torres, Sr. Media Specialist for ADRA International currently on the ground in Haiti. "Most of them have the clothing on their back and that is it. Words cannot begin to describe the devastation, the extreme loss of lives and goods, and the long-term help that is needed here."

ADRA, in partnership with Global Medic, is already providing clean water for 30,000 individuals each day currently living on the grounds of the Adventist University and ADRA compound. In addition we are distributing thousands of water purification tablets and clean water to individuals far from the clean water facility. We’ve brought four mobile medical units, medical teams, 13 boxes of medical supplies and medicines, and oral rehydration salts into the country.

Nearly 20,000 displaced people are living on the grounds of the ADRA compound. Sanitation facilities are non-existent. We have begun the necessary task of building 60 latrines. Without proper sanitation these displaced children, women, and men run the risk of contracting rampant diarrhea, and even cholera and typhus. Our medical teams are working around the clock saving lives. However they are running out of supplies and medicines.
Without general antibiotics those who have undergone amputations, and even those who have suffered simple injuries like cuts and scrapes, may yet lose their lives due to infection.

ADRA is distributing 14,000 biscuits in five centers, however much more is needed. While we are procuring more food, large tents for shelter, blankets, and medicines, these items will only address the immediate needs.”

Here’s a snapshot of what ADRA has done and distributed in the last five months:
• 25,407,833 meals
• 900 tents
• 6,000 household kits, comprising light blankets, tarps, collapsible water container, cooking pot with handle and lid; plates, spoons, mugs.
• 6,000 mattress pads
• 500 tool kits, comprising wheelbarrow, spades, mattock, hammers and other miscellaneous tools.
• 8,000 sealed water containers (jerry cans)
• 6,000 hygiene kits, comprising washing powder, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, razor, sanitary pads
• 5,000 solar lights
• 10,500 plus pairs of shoes
• 50 motorcycle Trekker units filtering water throughout Carrefour
• 5 million water purification tablets
• 55,000 oral rehydration salts
• 3 large water filtering facilities
• 10 million plus liters of filtered water
• 400 latrines installed
• 15 laundry stations
• 50 hand washing stations
• 1,200 hand crank flashlights
• Managing a camp of more than 4,000 families
• 61 private bathing facilities
• 2 mobile clinics providing health care to more than 7,000 individuals
• 12,000 vaccinations administered
• 30 classroom tents for school children
• 1,500 school kits
• 300 transitional homes built
• 2,200 transitional homes built in the next few months

If you would like to like to make a donation to ADRA's relief efforts in Haiti you can be taken to their website by clicking here. Your transaction will be processed through a secure server.
Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) http://www.adra.org

(Information used for this article was obtained from the ADRA website.)