On Sunday, June 6, 2020, St. Peter’s Seventh-day Adventist Church launched a humanitarian effort in response to community needs identified by a survey. Church leaders considered the effect of COVID-19 on residents of Sint Maarten, several of whom had lost jobs and experienced other setbacks, and decided to assist as many individuals as the church could afford.
The Community Services Department of the St. Peter’s Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, under the leadership of Mrs. Charlotte Jacob, collaborated with the church’s task force for the food distribution venture. Other volunteers from the church stepped in to assist with the preparation and packing. The safety and well-being of volunteers and recipients were of utmost importance and government regulations related to face-coverings, sanitizing, crowd management and physical distancing were followed
The task force is working judiciously on other programs to meet the needs of many in the
community. Pastor Virgil Sams, the leader of the congregation, stated, “As a church, we are committed to utilizing our resources in meeting the needs of the diverse ethnic and socio-economic groups, represented in the community. Our mission is rooted in the unconditional love of God for everyone which includes both outreach and nurture.”
Pastor Sams indicated that the congregation was thankful for the willingness of one local supermarket, Prime Cash & Carry, to partner with the church by discounting items needed for the humanitarian effort. The congregation was also grateful for donations received during the annual ingathering campaign hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Several families expressed their appreciation for the church’s generosity.