Your Help is Needed Now
Wesley Methodist Church
It’s all coming together!
I was getting a little frustrated today because I am not down in Inagua right now up on the roofs but our plans and coordination is paying off.
The island of the Inagua has received a $100,000 anonymous donation of building materials that left Nassau on Friday afternoon! BMH had nothing to do with the solicitation of the donation but I can guarantee you that we will have a lot to do with the “putting it where it needs to go” starting on Monday….on the ROOFS!
The past few days I have been busy doing my best to solicit and coordinate materials and volunteers here in Nassau. There are few organizations and ministries trying to do the same to relieve as much of the pain in Inagua as possible, however, my fear is that because of the nature of the situation, there is potential for an over abundance of materials on the ground…too much too quick with no where to go is not good stewardship.
Our Plan
-Get volunteers on the ground ASAP and start cleaning up and roofing!
-Kenrick Pearce, BMH Construction Coordinator, and Andre Darville, Andros Island Coordinator, will be leading our first set of volunteers that will head down
Monday September 15th on the 9:15 am Bahamas Air flight from Nassau to Inagua.
-It is my goal to send down at least 8 volunteers to join them. We have a home secured for you and most of your food will be provided.
-I am now in the inside loop with the Bahamas Red Cross and NEMA, it took me a while, but I feel good about where we are headed.
Fundraising
-We have raised over $15,000 with cash and in-kind donations through Bahamas Habitat and would like to reach $20,000 by Monday morning.
-In the Bahamas, we have raised over $5,000 and expect that to grow as our efforts continue for the long term.
-We are expecting a sizable grant from United Methodist Habitat Committee On Relief (UMCOR) in the next few days.
-Please continue to support us financially so that the work can continue.
Continuing Needs
If you are not able to send items to Florida for shipping, please let us if you would like to donate some of these items. You can then make a Bahamas Habitat donation on-line and we can have a Florida volunteer purchase it and get it to the boat. Please email us your donation amount and specific items you wish to donate.
- 4 Generators, 5000 kW ($900)
- Food for Inaguans and our volunteers
- Toiletries (Toilet Paper to Tooth brushes)
- 2 Shingle Nail Gun ($300 each)
- 1 Ice Maker (Not sure of the cost I but know the benefit!)
Inagua
Pastor Henry Whyte called me today to check in, here is his report:
-Morale is very low with the islanders and everyone needs our prayers!
-Water is working but not 100% reliable. We will still need to bring some of our own water.
-It is RAINING in Inagua…and it’s said that it NEVER rains in Inagua. Unfortunately that means that all roofs that are uncovered will obtain further water damage.
-The Inagua Mail Boat from Nassau had a mechanical half way to Inagua and had to turn around and go back to Nassau….it hasn’t sailed in over two weeks and the cupboards are getting empty quickly on the island.
-They are spraying 3 times a day for mosquitos and it is working!
-US Coast Guard and Bahamas Defense Force are leading the clean up efforts.
-Everyone is waiting on us to come serve with them.
Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI)
Rev. Bill Higgs, BCMC President, Mrs. Elmena Bethel, VP, and myself will be headed down on Thursday and Friday September 18 & 19th to assess the damage, show support to our southern neighbors and try to open the necessary doors for our volunteers to come serve the needs of the TCI. Mrs. Bethel is also from Grand Turk so we will be checking on her family too.
Haiti
The collection process is going great at Queen’s College for families in Haiti. We will be collecting clothing, food and household items for the long haul. Continue to pray for this devastated country.
Volunteering
-Please email me ASAP if you are willing and able to be in Nassau on Sunday night September 13th and be on our first team down to start the clean up and repair work.
-We have had a donation to cover at least the first 8 volunteers airfare from Nassau to Inagua on Bahamas Air ($270) that can stay for at least a week. The flights are Mon, Wed, and Friday.
-We have Sunday overnight accommodations for you in Nassau because of the early departure Monday morning.
-Email me asap with your:
Name, email, phone #, DOB, Address, Church/Organization, Date you can arrive
-If you are willing to come for the second wave, please email me with the same info.
REMEMBER that you are expected to flexible, self-sufficient and ready to rough it.
-Meals, covered for you but please bring comfort food/snacks.
-Tools, we will have most but bringing your own will be a big help (identify them)
-Costs, a donation to help cover administrative, housing and food costs will be appreciated.
-YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT
-Length of stay…at least a week, but as long as you can volunteer, we will be there.
Thank YOU!!!
I want to take this chance to thank all of you for your prayers, support, great emails, financial donations and in-kind gifts. With all of your support and God’s guidance and strength we will be able to make this work! And it already is…because of YOU!
A special thanks goes out to Linda Vance, Kathy McCullouch and their North Central Florida crew for their efforts to coordinate, solicit and deliver supplies to the Morton Salt Boat.
Let’s keep it up!
Peace and Love.
Abe
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Abraham (Abe) McIntyre
Executive Director
Bahamas Methodist Habitat
Camp Symonette, James Cistern
Eleuthera, Bahamas
615-469-7974 USA
242-335-6210 Camp
242-422-9318 Cell
www.MethodistHabitat.org
Relieving Disaster, Promoting Community