Baptists in the Dominican Republic are taking part in relief efforts following recent floods and landslides in their country and neighboring Haiti.
Thousands of people along the Haitian-Dominican border lack drinking water and food and need urgent aid after raging floods left nearly 2,000 people dead or missing, a United Nations assessment team said Friday. The floods also destroyed crops, decimated livestock and cut off roads and electricity.
U.S. troops led a multi-national force taking helicopters loaded with drinking water and medicines into remote villages devastated by the floods, the Associated Press reported Friday.
The small Baptist Convention in the Dominican Republic is raising funds and working to prepare 500 family food parcels for villages in the most-affected regions, said Paul Montacute, director of Baptist World Aid. The relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance sent $2,000 to help the convention purchase supplies and promised more if needed, Montacute said.
BWAid is awaiting word from the Haiti Baptist Convention regarding any relief programs and needs in their country.
BWAid is accepting designated donations for relief efforts in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Information on how to contribute is available on the BWA Web site.
