The local Seventh-day Adventist Church on St. Maarten and Tortola in collaboration with its humanitarian agency Adventist Development Relief agency (ADRA) is helping to provide relief to hundreds of displaced and distressed individuals on both islands.
Working through the local organization, ADRA has already provided over 1000 hot meals over three days on St. Maarten and food for over 500 families on Tortola.
“Hurricane Irma destroyed and interrupted the lives of many of the people,” said Pastor Vashni Cuvalay, ADRA Coordinator of the Island of St. Maarten. “The people need help and we are more than happy to provide that kind of service to the community.”
Preliminary reports on St. Maarten indicate that 115 families of the church lost their homes and 99 of them lost their roofs. Those figures came after a survey was done of 353 families. “The work is great…lots of destruction,” said Pastor Marcos Salas.
Local churches and schools across the two islands were destroyed by the category 4 Hurricane Irma that devastated the two islands, and local church leaders were looking for opportunities to help.
Pastor Wilmoth James, ADRA Coordinator of the Conference, indicated that ADRA response was immediate and effective. “Two days after Hurricane Irma, ADRA Canada delivered 1500 hygiene kits to St. Maarten to assist families in need. ADRA with its great organizational experts is helping to coordinate relief efforts on behalf of the church.”
Besides that, ADRA has formed in the local territories to provide sustained assistance to those in need. “In the BVI we are partnering with the government to provide assistance for the country’s school feeding program,” James said. “Our challenge is getting the islands,” James said. With the enormity of the devastation, local governments have closed their borders, and access is limited. But things are opening up and before long all territories in the Conference including Anguilla will benefit from the humanitarian arm of the church.”
Pastor Kumal Smith, a local pastor on St. Maarten, is helping to coordinate volunteers and the distribution of the hot meals on St. Maarten: “We are so pleased that our church has moved into action,” he said, and “I am happy to see the volunteers work to make a difference. Pastor Smith is from Anguilla, a country that was devastated by Hurricane Irma three week ago, but he indicated, “I am not there [in Anguilla], but I am happy to share Jesus where I am.”
The local pastors mobilized volunteers on the two islands and partnered with two ADRA representatives who flew in to help coordinate the activities in order to facilitate and activate its response. “We want to continue providing food,” said Pastor Kumal Smith who has been using his vehicle to provide meals to the community for the past three days.
Pastor Howard Simon on Tortola is celebrating the work of ARDA: “We were hard hit, and to compound the problem, we had in the territory. Our members were hurting and longing for assistance. ARDA was able to coordinate the distribution of hampers to 500 families to the joy of all.”
“We are happy for their efforts and that of all the volunteers,” said Pastor Desmond James, President of the Conference. “We know more are in need and we are working hard to help them, but with God’s we will get there. The government regulations hampered us, but we see light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Our greatest challenge is helping to coordinate the rebuilding of the churches’ infrastructure and to engage the many members who are distressed so that they do not leave. We want our churches to open up so we can minister to our people and let them know we care,” said President James.
“Four of our schools in the conference were damaged, and all of our churches on the affected islands sustained structural and water damage. Many members’ homes, businesses and properties were either damaged or destroyed. We will work to collaborate our efforts as we seek to move forward.”
In the meantime, the North Caribbean Conference will continue to provide assistance to those who are in need with the help of our partners in the Caribbean Union and the wider church. At the same our local coordinators will continue assessing the needs so that we have a structured approach to the needs before us.