Haiti relief efforts continue, expand

Assemblies of God World Missions, working in support of Convoy of Hope and its distribution partners, have now been a part of distributing more than 6.5 million meals and installing 345 water filtration units in Haiti since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked the nation on Jan. 12.

"Our meal distributions have not slowed because the need has not diminished," says Kary Kingsland, vice president of disaster response for Convoy of Hope. Over the next few months, Kingsland says that Convoy plans to install 4,000 additional water filtration units by training Haitians in how to operate and install the units.

"We have AGWM communications personnel in Haiti right now with Hal Donaldson and Convoy of Hope," says Randy Hurst, AG World Missions communications director. "They are gathering information and photos for an extensive report for churches, pastors and individuals who have contributed to the relief efforts."

Hurst explains that the AG World Relief Committee gathered just a few days ago to map out a three-year strategic plan that involves extensive relief, recovery and rebuilding in Haiti.

"We have been able to map out these type of plans because of the extremely generous response we have received," Hurst says, expressing AG World Missions' gratitude for the ongoing giving. "In fact, we believe our response will be similar to the response to Indonesia following the tsunami that devastated the coastal regions of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India in December of 2004."

Hurst says AG World Missions was involved in numerous rebuilding efforts in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. "In addition to feeding the hungry and providing medical relief, we were able to completely rebuild 67 public school buildings," he says. "Our efforts, supported by the generosity and sacrifice of churches, individuals and teams, demonstrated the compassion of Christ in tangible ways to many tens of thousands of people. We hope to make as great an impact in Haiti."

Currently, AG World Missions and Convoy of Hope are forced to have a dual focus as the earthquake that struck Chile this past weekend is of great concern. "But churches haven't forgotten about Haiti," Hurst says. "Just yesterday I received another generous donation from a church for our relief efforts there."

For more information about Convoy of Hope, see its Web site. To give to the ongoing disaster relief effort in Haiti, click here.