Missouri Baptists on front lines of relief in Haiti
By Brian Koonce
Staff Writer
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – Baptists across Missouri have joined in the thousands attempting to bring some semblance of hope to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Since the 7.0 earthquake Jan. 12, several groups with connections to Missouri Baptist churches are actively involved in relief for the hundreds of thousands injured or left homeless.
A well-drilling team from First Baptist Church of Clinton arrived in Haiti Jan. 17 and brought along $30,000 in supplies they purchased in neighboring Dominican Republic. They struck water and began providing a clean supply of water to thousands of people Jan. 20. A second drilling team left Jan. 21. The first well is at Mission of Hope (MOH), a ministry run by two members from First Baptist, Dennis and Jennifer Maupin.
They sent this e-mail dispatch just after the quake struck:
“We felt the prayers covering us while we gained a realization of the impact of what took place, gathering together outside, [we] prayed and waited for the strong tremors to cease. We looked towards Port-au-Prince and viewed the cloud of dust rising from the city, the fires of a few industries. He put aside our fears and the MOH doctors began organizing. All of us, the Canadian team and MOH staff, begin working in shifts around the clock at the medical clinic located at MOH. I truly admire the medical people we had here. They had to improvise with most of the medical needs. The clinic was a mess with supplies thrown on the floor, bottles broken, very little pain medicine available for the demand.”
Red Bridge Baptist Church in Kansas City operates an orphanage in Pignon, a village about 50 miles north of the epicenter the earthquake. They reported no structural damages or injuries, but have opened their dorms to house and care for those injured in Port Au Prince.
Another church in the Kansas City area, Wornall Road, began sharing its facility with a new church plant, Haitian Baptist Church this month. Many of its members still have family and friends in Haiti.
“The Sunday after the earthquake we asked what we could do for them; they responded they would like to worship with us that Sunday,” said lead pastor John Mark Clifton. “They read Psalm 46 and only ask for prayer for the believers in Haiti to share with those in Haiti who don’t know Christ, that the Holy Spirit would use this time to draw the unconverted to Christ. No asking why, no asking for pity, only a strong acknowledgment in the sovereignty of God in all things and the grace of God to sustain.
“God was glorified on this day through His suffering saints. All of the Haitians in this church, including the leaders who shared, had loved ones and families members missing or killed in the earthquake.”
A group for business students from Southwest Baptist University had planned a mission trip to Haiti Jan. 17-24 but had to postpone it indefinitely. They were to work with the Convoy of Hope missionaries to help install water purification filters at local schools so that Haitian children can have a source clean drinking water, some for the very first time. The trip will be rescheduled at a later time.
Other churches and associations are helping as well. David Tolliver, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) urged Missouri Baptists to find a way to take part, and to let the MBC know of current ministries participating in relief efforts.
“We want to highlight what you’re doing,” he said. “We want to help you do what you’re already doing and connect you with people who want to help out.”
Right now the “front page” of the MBC’s website – www.mobaptist.org – features links to the relief efforts of North American Mission Board, Baptist Global Response and a rotating list of churches actively involved in relief. To notify the MBC of Haiti relief efforts, call Director of Communications Vince Blubaugh at 1-800-736-6227 ext. 703.
