| Forgotten Haiti gets help from DC church By Erik Alsgaard
UMCONNECTION STAFF When Hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan ravaged the Caribbean and southern United States during September and October, much of this region’s focus centered on U.S. cities. But one of the hardest hit areas has gained only brief attention and little in the way of relief dollars or materials. One church in Washington, D.C., is trying to change that. The Brightwood Park UMC, located on Jefferson Street in the city’s northwest quadrant, has become the only church in the District of Columbia being used as a drop-off point for relief supplies going to Haiti. “The missions committee, along with the pastorate, decided it wanted to have an impact on the victims of the hurricane,” said the Rev. Tom Hagin, pastor of Brightwood Park. The church made contact with the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington and Hagin spoke to Ambassador James B. Foley. “He thought it was a great idea,” said Hagin. “He said that we would be the only church in the District – there is one in Maryland – used as a drop-off center.” Hagin and church leaders Alpha Keaton, Shayla Cage, Hortense T. Criddell and Lynn Hill visited the Haitian Embassy Oct. 28, for a symbolic show of support and caring. They met for nearly an hour with Deputy Chief of Mission, Fritz Fougy. The head of missions at the church, Clara Alcorn, was unable to attend. Fougy talked to the group about the devastation and need in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. “These series of disasters have been terrible,” he said. “Our structures cannot stand this. These have been big blows.” Nearly 3,000 people died in the wake of the storms Fougy said. In addition, roads, hospitals and schools were destroyed by flooding. “Just to put the places back together,” he said, “would take $30 million, and that does not count the people’s needs for clothing.” Brightwood Park gathered more than 100 boxes of relief supplies, containing clothes, medicines and blankets, Hagin told Fougy.  | ERIK ALSGAARD / UMCONNECTION | The Rev. Tom Hagin, left, delivers supplies to Fritz Fougy at the Haitian embassy. |
“We are running out of space in our mission house,” he said. The church cut off receipt of relief supplies for Haiti Nov. 1. Fougy, however, encouraged the church to “empty your space and fill it up again.” The deputy chief said that, to date, only $2 million in relief money has been given to Haiti through the Red Cross and other organizations. Many relief groups are in Haiti, he said, but coordinating their efforts is a hard task. “Many different groups are there, doing their own thing,” he said. Some are dealing only with water sanitation issues; others are doing ministry around food, and still others specialize in clothing. “The Red Cross,” Fougy said, “is doing the big things.” He noted that the United Nations is also on site, helping with security issues to make sure that food and other relief supplies reach their intended targets and are not taken by poachers. According to a United States Agency for International Development Web site, the organization had contributed “a total of more than $5.4 million to fund emergency activities and relief supplies in Haiti.” This included supplies for shelter, water and sanitation repairs, and cash for clean-up activities. During the response to the flooding, USAID airlifted 300 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5,005 water containers, and 3,660 hygiene kits to Port-au-Prince. The plastic sheeting provided shelter for an estimated 9,000 residents, the water jugs served the needs of more than 12,500 people, and the hygiene kits supplied more than 18,000 people. Despite this effort, more needs to be done. “In the United States, many churches are taking relief offerings and offering help,” said Fougy. “Even before the hurricanes, Haiti needed help. We really appreciate all that you are doing.” | 
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