Interlude #3 - Haiti Earthquake Update

I apologize for a lack of posting with my regular "Through the Bible Kingdom" theme. I will resume these shortly. However, I do want to pause a bit and update you on what is happening with the Haiti earthquake response and especially from our Baptist Global Response (BGR) perspective...

BGR HAITI UPDATE – SUNDAY 24 JANUARY 2010

From the News Media/Disaster Networks –

1. The Government of Haiti has now given an official death toll of 111,481 dead.

2. The main pier at Port-au-Prince and airport are open and functioning allowing much needed aid to arrive. One hundred and fifty (150) planes per day can land. Two hundred and fifty (250) containers can arrive per day. New roads have been made to facilitate transportation and overland goods from the Dominican Republic still seems to be the best route.

3. Two hundred thousand (200,000) people per day are being fed by the World Food Program. Much more is needed.

4. Temporary shelter is still a huge need for many Haitians. Tens of thousands still need shelter.

From Our BGR On-Ground Assessment Team in Haiti –

1. The have completed our initial in-country assessments, given initial relief and have returned to Dominican Republic. They will meet with partners there and then return Monday to the US and help us draft a comprehensive response plan utilizing all Southern Baptist avenues of response.

2. While in Haiti, the team was able to:
a. Establish logistics for supply routes.
b. Meet with local Baptist partners and come up with response plans.
c. Coordinate with Government/NGO groups for future collaberation.
d. Make some initial distribution of medical supplies and food.
e. Distribute $12,000 worth of infant formula/items to one clinic
f. Provide $10,000 worth of food assistance to a Baptist Convention (Mainly rice and beans)
g. Used $4,000 worth of food/aid to a local orphanage taking in people. This is a Christian orphanage managed by Southern Baptists.

From BGR Nashville Office –

1. Through Saturday, BGR has taken in almost $500,000 in gifts/donations for Haiti. We have already release $150,000 of this into Haiti. Almost all of this will be for water, food, shelter, hygiene care and medical supplies at this point. One huge need is infant formula, food and hygiene care items. We project our response in goods (food, water, medical, shelter, etc.) to be in the millions within the first few months. A big "thank you" to all who have given. One hundred percent of all these gifts through BGR will go to direct relief. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

2. We have a good updates and resources such as a great bulletin insert up and available as a download on the BGR website. Please keep checking our website for information and updates at www.gobgr.org.

3. We have begun contacting/informing medical contacts and networks of needs and to be ready for next week’s plan of volunteer/resource requests for Haiti.

God bless and remember to keep praying for Haiti...

Jeff Palmer