News
Tomas Impacts St. Vincent
Report from the Association of Evangelical Churches in St. Vincent & the Grenadines
November 6 pastors met to discuss the AEC’s response to the passing of Hurricane Tomas. It was felt that this was an important undertaking as we sought to best use the resources to maximise help to those in need. This approach was underpinned by an overwhelming desire to be good stewards, commit to a long term response while avoiding a knee jerk reactive response and begin to put in place a system that would be usable for future needs.
Decisions
We decided that it was important to get as accurate information as possible. This will be done by having pastors from the area along with a representative from the AEC, personally make and give an assessment of the situation. This was done by Pastor Colin Smith and Pastor Cyril Roberts (lives in Sand Bay), over a two day period.
We would funnel the information received from this assessment through to our local churches, regional and international contacts and any other sources or persons we may have contact with as a body, or individual church. To avoid duplication we are asking that our efforts be channeled through the AEC. This would remain in place for the current situation and future needs.
It is necessary that we begin to source and store relief aid for quick deployment. Efforts will be hampered if we only begin raising support after a disaster. Items such as:
• Cots and sleeping bags
• Blankets
• Battery operated radios
• Chainsaws
• Flashlights
• First Aid material (and training in First Aid for persons)
• Generators
• Hammers, nails, etc
• Food
A more detailed list will be sent out along with a plea to ask persons to assist in sourcing these materials. A store room has been offered to us by Pastor Smith.
CURRENT NEEDS
In the short term, a period of three months, the pressing needs are food for 100 persons (an itemized list will follow) and the repair of Pastor Ballantyne’s house roof (estimated at $15,000 minimum by Pastor Smith who is a contractor and builder). The food is for those people whose livelihood was tied to the agricultural sector that was destroyed and who now have no recourse to financing their households:
• Fancy (Pastor Lewis and Myers) 10 persons
• Owia Pentecostal 12 persons
• Jesus Worship Centre 12 persons
• Sandy Bay Gospel Chapel 34 persons
• Sandy Bay Baptist 15 persons
