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Volunteers still meeting human need in Haiti
Norman Jameson, BR Editor
July 14, 2010
3 MIN READ TIME

Volunteers still meeting human need in Haiti

Volunteers still meeting human need in Haiti
Norman Jameson, BR Editor
July 14, 2010

Human need in Haiti

continues to overwhelm logistical response, but a steady stream of North

Carolina Baptist teams are ministering to the sick and building shelters for

internally displaced Haitians.

Gaylon Moss, who coordinates

disaster response for North Carolina Baptist Men, said that through July 3, 295

volunteers have seen 23,497 patients at various clinics and hospitals, have

served more than 25,000 meals, built 229 temporary shelters and have witnessed

334 persons trusting Christ as savior.

“We’ve been quite pleased

with response from folks,” said Moss. N.C. Baptist Men plans to continue relief

efforts in Haiti through August of 2011, concentrating on medical teams and

construction both of temporary shelters and helping churches rebuild.

Church reconstruction

employs local Haitian labor, using materials bought with contributions to N.C.

Baptist Men. Volunteers who wish can be involved with church construction.

Moss recognizes the

desolation still laying over the country as news reports detail relief efforts

stymied by local politics, decimated infrastructure and conflicts over property

ownership.

The positive news coming

back with North Carolina volunteers focuses on individual victories, as

volunteers distribute baby clothes, nurse the sick and injured back to health

or build a shelter that a joyful family moves into that had been living under a

piece of tin.

“Most volunteers come away

impressed with the Haitians’ attitudes and their willingness to help in such a

terrible time,” Moss said.

Raw material for the

temporary shelters is supplied by Samaritan’s Purse and consists of four poles

to form a 15 by 15 foot room, a tin roof and durable tarp to wrap the poles.

Inside there are two large shelves that can be used as beds or for storage.

A recent team installed rain

gutters on the shelters by which the occupants can collect clean rain water.

Moss said the local mayor

and church leadership pick the families that are to receive the temporary

shelters. North Carolina volunteers are not put in that position.

After six months of sending

volunteers a schedule has been established for efficiency. Getting into Port au

Prince is still a hassle, but Baptist Men has an onsite coordinator and housing

for volunteers to make the logistics as smooth as possible. Scott and Janet

Daughtry coordinate volunteer efforts onsite.

Teams leave each week on

Sunday and return the following Saturday. Cost is $1,100 per person, which

covers airline ticket, accident insurance, food, housing and transportation in

country.

Volunteers must fill out an

individual profile at www.ncmissions.org. Payment is made to Baptist Men which

makes the travel arrangements.

Individuals can join other

teams. Moss said ideal team size to accommodate in country logistics is 6-8

each for construction and for medical volunteers. There is flexibility

according to need.

Volunteers leave either from

Charlotte or Raleigh. They should check with their doctors about necessary

immunizations.