Summit Haiti Relief efforts0

We asked the Summit’s Community and Church Planting Pastor, Curt Alan, to give us a heads up on what the Summit is doing to help the people of Haiti.

Since the news broke about the disaster in Haiti, we have been receiving lots of inquiries from individuals who wish to give financially to Haiti relief efforts and/or physically go and be a part of the relief efforts there on the ground. I am currently at a missions pastor conference and we are devoting a significant amount of our time to discussing Haiti and known ministries and relationships there. I’m collecting, researching, and following up on all of this information. Here is an overview of where we stand:

As for financial relief:

• Our Christmas Missions offering and generosity in the past has certainly ensured that the Summit was immediately involved in helping to meet basic needs there in Haiti. In addition, we have seen almost $10,000 collected specifically for Haiti relief since the earthquake hit. The need is huge, though, and will only increase before it decreases. If you are interested in supporting the ongoing work there you can either give online or during our weekend offerings. Be sure that you put “Haiti Relief” in the memo line of the check or online donation.
• BGR – Baptist Global Response is currently assessing the situation with a 5 member team. An assessment team from the Florida Baptist Convention is in Haiti, and a team of Southern Baptist missionaries is at work in a medical clinic on the border between the Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Please pray for safety and that the Lord will open doors of opportunity before all these team members.
• If at all possible, I want us to partner with established ministries that have long-term roots in Haiti – specifically in planting churches. I want us to, if at all possible, empower local Gospel-centered churches there in Haiti to meet the needs in their areas. We’ve said many times that “The local church is the hope of the world.” Anything we can do to come alongside to empower and support local churches there in Haiti to be a hub of support/relief in an area is huge.

As for physical response:

• It has become clear that we (the Summit) need to raise up and train a team of disaster relief first responders within the church. Not only do we need vocational expertise (medical, construction, water & sanitation) but we need to equip this expertise with specialized training related to disaster relief. I am actively working to pull together what we’ll need to get this training in place.
• I have no IMMEDIATE plans to recruit, mobilize, and send a short-term team over to Haiti. It doesn’t mean we won’t ever send a team. Work and workers will be needed for a very long time. We are collecting the names, contact info, and areas of expertise of all those currently inquiring about opportunities to serve via our website. If/when we determine that we need to field a short-term team to Haiti, these people will be contacted and the opportunity will be publicized through the EQUIP blog and other Summit channels (website, email, etc.).

Curt Alan
Summit Church Planting Pastor