Haiti remains desperate
by Kevin Butler
From the Baptist World Alliance:
The situation in Haiti remains desperate, according to the Baptist World Aid (BWAid) Rescue24 team that has been in the country since January 15, three days after a massive earthquake devastated much of the island nation.
Latest estimates put the death toll at 200,000; approximately 70,000 have already been buried in mass graves. More than one million Haitians were left homeless. Between 60 and 80 percent of the buildings in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, which bore the brunt of the earthquake, were either destroyed or rendered unusable.
Port-au-Prince continues to be plagued by food and water shortages. Fuel, also in short supply, has quadrupled in price. "There are extremely long lines at the few petrol stations" that are opened, said Bela Szilagyi, director of Hungarian Baptist Aid and a leader of the BWAid Rescue24 team.
The BWAid team, consisting of two Hungarians, five from North Carolina in the United States, and three Haitians, provided medical treatments for several hundred persons at a community clinic in Pétionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. "Hundreds of people have been waiting for medical care in the hall and even in the parking lot at the clinic," said Szilagyi. Many, he said, had broken limbs and pelvises, fractured skulls, and badly injured ankles and feet. "Most of the injuries were already infected because of not having medical care for such a long time," Szilagyi reported.
The Baptist World Alliance continues to make appeals to Baptists around the world to donate funds for Haitian relief.
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Seventh Day Baptists continue to donate to the SDB United Relief Fund (PO Box 1678, Janesville WI 53547). These funds are funneled through Baptist World Aid. Thank you for your help.
The situation in Haiti remains desperate, according to the Baptist World Aid (BWAid) Rescue24 team that has been in the country since January 15, three days after a massive earthquake devastated much of the island nation.
Latest estimates put the death toll at 200,000; approximately 70,000 have already been buried in mass graves. More than one million Haitians were left homeless. Between 60 and 80 percent of the buildings in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, which bore the brunt of the earthquake, were either destroyed or rendered unusable.
Port-au-Prince continues to be plagued by food and water shortages. Fuel, also in short supply, has quadrupled in price. "There are extremely long lines at the few petrol stations" that are opened, said Bela Szilagyi, director of Hungarian Baptist Aid and a leader of the BWAid Rescue24 team.
The BWAid team, consisting of two Hungarians, five from North Carolina in the United States, and three Haitians, provided medical treatments for several hundred persons at a community clinic in Pétionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. "Hundreds of people have been waiting for medical care in the hall and even in the parking lot at the clinic," said Szilagyi. Many, he said, had broken limbs and pelvises, fractured skulls, and badly injured ankles and feet. "Most of the injuries were already infected because of not having medical care for such a long time," Szilagyi reported.
The Baptist World Alliance continues to make appeals to Baptists around the world to donate funds for Haitian relief.
_____________________
Seventh Day Baptists continue to donate to the SDB United Relief Fund (PO Box 1678, Janesville WI 53547). These funds are funneled through Baptist World Aid. Thank you for your help.
posted by Kevin Butler at
4:36 PM
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