Area church congregations answered the call from pastors to help victims of the Haiti earthquake with donations, volunteering, and even direct visits to the country.
In Starkville, a group of local volunteers is leaving this afternoon for an emergency mission trip to Haiti, where the earthquake last week left the country in ruins.
New Horizons Christian Fellowship, located at the corner of Highway 12 and Spring Street in Starkville, is spearheading the effort, but Pastor Johnny Buckner emphasized this morning that it is a “community-wide event.” Oktibbeha County Hospital has donated medical supplies for the group to take to Haiti and Lowe”s donated respirators, Buckner said.
The group plans to meet at the church this afternoon, then take a bus donated by Mississippi State University to Fort Pierce, in Florida, before they leave for the Caribbean. Most, but not all, of the people going to Haiti attend New Horizons Christian Fellowship.
“We”re going to be breaking down medical supplies on the bus as we go,” Buckner said. “We have to hit the ground running; we have since 20 minutes after the earthquake.”
Buckner also said the trip will be the first of several for New Horizons members.
“This is a long-term deal,” Buckner said. “This is not a one-time shot. We”re planning other mission trips down there in the future.”
In Columbus, Volunteers gathered at First United Methodist Church in Columbus on Sunday to prepare health kits for Haiti.
At the Methodist church, gallon bags were filled with necessities such as towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, fingernail clippers and soap to be shipped to Haitians left homeless by the earthquake.
Pastor Sam Morris said his church and others across the nation would ship the care packages through the United Methodist Committee On Relief, a disaster response organization already on the ground in Haiti. The UMCOR will distribute the packages much as it did along the gulf coast following Hurricane Katrina.
“We”re part of a massive relief effort. We have a response team at the church,” said Morris. “This is something the children and youth can do. We wanted them to be involved instead of just sending money. “This is a way they can make a tangible contribution.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
