Jan. 18. 2010 | By Paul F. South
NEW ORLEANS - Seneque Saintil, a New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary student and a pastor to an Atlanta-area Haitian congregation, will be leading a team of six from his church to the devastated island nation this week.
The heart of Haiti is in rubble after the island's worst earthquake in 200 years. The New York Times reported Jan. 15 that as many as 2 million people are in desperate need of shelter, food, water, clothing, medical care and other necessities. The toll of the dead and missing is unknown, but bodies of the dead and injured are stacked in the streets, according to news accounts.
One Catholic priest told NBC News that family members were accompanying dead loved ones to the cemeteries, picks and shovels in hand, and then digging the graves of loved ones. Saintil has heard similar stories from witnesses, as well as family members of those on the ground in Haiti
"Now more than ever, Haiti needs every possible hand to help those who lost what little they had," Saintil said. "I am taking some of the family members of those directly affected by the earthquake to Haiti Jan. 20. The objective of the trip is to minister to their family members and to others in the community by helping them financially, emotionally and spiritually."
For Saintil's Norcross, Ga., congregation, the Mitspa Haitian Baptist Church, ties to Haiti are deep. A 65-year-old former member of the church died in the Haitian disaster.
"In my church alone, more than half of my congregation has at least one family member who has died in the earthquake," Saintil said. "This tragedy is devastating to my church."
Saintil is only one example of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's deep connection to Haiti. Working in tandem with the Florida Baptist Convention, the seminary provides ministerial training at centers in Port de Paix and Port-au-Prince. Last year, the seminary awarded ministry certificates to 107 Haitian pastors. Some 159 Haitian ministers have received training through the initiative.
"New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has a direct connection to the island of Haiti, "said Dr. David Lema, director of the seminary's Center for the Americas, where at least 100 Haitian students -including many on the island itself - are preparing for ministry. For many, there is still no word on their fate, or the fate of loved ones for Haitians in Florida.
"At this time we are unaware of any casualties among that group of students in Haiti nor of specific details as to damage to NOBTS student homes or churches," Lema said.
"Many of our students have relatives in Haiti. Many of those relatives are still unaccounted for or still there is no information on their situation. Many of our students are pastors or church leaders in Florida and, through their congregations, share many points of personal contact in Haiti," Lema said. "Our students are being challenged to minister in many ways as a result of this disaster. Communications are difficult and the churches and their leaders in Haiti are working to set up viable ties."
Pastor Wadler Jules, a doctoral student at NOBTS, serves on the staff at Emanuel Haitian Baptist Church in Miami. Emanuel, one of the oldest and largest Haitian congregations in Florida, is serving as one of three donation centers for earthquake relief. Emanuel also works with some 40 Baptist churches on Haiti in conjunction with the Florida Baptist Convention.
As for Saintil's church, after this week's initial journey, Saintil and his team will return later with a 24-foot trailer full of much needed supplies.
"We need almost everything," Saintil said.
Among the needed supplies:
* Non-perishable food items (rice, beans, flour, sugar, cooking oil, etc.
* Clothing
* Water
* Medications, bandages and other health care items
* Hygiene products
* Diapers
* Baby food
* Baby formula (powdered milk or powdered formula)
* School supplies (book bags, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, etc.)
Cash donations are also being accepted. Shipping cost alone for transporting a container of goods to Haiti is an estimated $4,000. All cash donations will go directly to Haiti. Send checks to:
Mitspa Haitian Disaster Relief
5225 Jimmy Carter Boulevard
Norcross, Ga. 30093.
For more information, call 770-912-4894 or 404-784-7111.
Saintil and Lema also called for prayer.
"We ask for prayers for our NOBTS Haitian students, and their families and churches, who have been affected by the disaster both in Haiti and in Florida," Lema said.
Taylor, who also serves as pastor of Gentilly Baptist Church in New Orleans, hopes to organize a trip to the island when it is feasible.
As he prepares to return to the island of his birth, Saintil's faith remains unshaken.
"It's hard," he said. "But God is in control."
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