The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) began coordinating disaster relief assistance for the affected territory devastated by the natural disasters which hit last month. Ten of the 24 major church regions across the IAD were hit by multiple earthquakes in Mexico and multiple hurricanes across the string of islands in the Caribbean.
“We have never had so much of our territory affected by natural disasters in the course of a few weeks,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America. “Churches, schools and member’s homes have been devastated, and restoring those will help the process of rebuilding lives.”
With the initial emergency funds already released to assist the church membership across the unions, in addition to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) funds assisting those in the community outside the church, top church leaders want to ensure that church members get the help they need as fast as possible, explained Pastor Leito.
To help guarantee this takes place, a special committee was established to alleviate human suffering and protect the lives and dignity of church members who experience a disaster.
The purpose of the committee is to look at providing relief for Seventh-day Adventists in the areas of the division affected by natural disasters, said Pastor James Daniel, vice president of the church in Inter-America and chairman of the IAD Disaster Relief for Church Members Committee.
“Seventh-day Adventists must know that the highest level of the church cares about them and that the church is taking actions to demonstrate that care,” said Daniel.
