Bethel Quake-Response Team To Leave for Haiti Soon
As the one-week mark approaches since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the international community’s massive relief effort is finally reaching those who need it the most. Reports continue to surface of quake victims who have somehow survived multiple days of being trapped under rubble. Bethel Church, in Redding, California, has been making final preparations to send its first of potentially several disaster response teams to Haiti.
The team of about 20 will be leaving either Wednesday (Jan. 20th) or Thursday (Jan. 21st) of this week. According to Kevin Dedmon, the team includes registered nurses, EMTs, and grief counselors. Partnering with Transformation Development Agency Africa (TDA), the team will be chartering up to two jets to fly both the team and essential supplies such as water and food into Port-au-Prince from Miami. Since no commercial air traffic is being allowed to land in Haiti’s capital at the moment, this is a remarkable breakthrough that TDA and Bethel have been able to secure these two aircraft to deliver supplies and help into Haiti.
Dickson Slater, a revival group pastor at Bethel, is heading up the coordination of supplies and logistics for the Haiti team. Having had previous experience in responding to natural disasters, Slater was a part of a disaster response team that helped in the wake of the 2005 Pakistan quake.
If you know of anyone or any organization along the east coast of the US that is interested in donating large volumes of essential supplies such as pallets of bottled water, non-perishable food, tents, etc., please email me (Adam Short) at adam@healingherald.org. At least one of the aircraft is equipped to carry pallets of supplies.
Kris Vallotton, the associate senior leader of Bethel, announced Sunday that the cost of this initial response will be $75,000. If you are interested in donating to this effort, you can do so online by going to http://www.ibethel.org. Be sure and note that your gift is for the Haiti Relief Team.
Stay tuned to Healing Herald for additional updates!