In the wake of the horrific tragedy in Haiti on January 12, 2010, the Greater New York Conference is working feverishly with their Adventist Community Services Disaster Response Team and the Adventist Youth Emergency Services Corps to help bring relief to the people of Haiti. It was not long before we realized that more assistance was needed and all conference departments were activated. We immediately set up an Emergency Command Center at the Gethsemane SDA Church in Brooklyn where the majority of our Haitian members reside. A request went out to all the GNYC churches to set up Collection Centers and to notify the general public of the dates and times. A request was made to collect only the essentials which are monetary donations, medical supplies and non-perishable food.

 

Within five days of the earthquake an assessment team of five was deployed to Haiti. Our main goals are to establish communication with the people working directly in the shelters of the churches; to purchase food from the Dominican Republic to feed those starving and to provide medical assistance. The food can only be delivered to its destination with the aid of heavily armed police. Protection is essential. 

 

The second team, consisting of 21 doctors and nurses, from the Jackson Heights SDA Church in Queens NY and the Grand Concourse SDA Church in the Bronx, NY flew to Haiti to assist in medical relief; followed by a third team.

 

We are updated numerous times a day by our teams in Haiti through the use of satellite phones, text messaging and emails with not only reports and photos of the devastation but also items needed.

 

Ruben Merino
Director, Adventist Community Health Services
Greater New York Conference

 

Photo Captions:

Photos taken by Esther Reme, AYES Corps member



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