More than a week after Puerto Rico suffered its greatest natural disaster, the condition of most of the Southern Baptist churches on the island is still unknown….but many are helping those in need.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello told MSNBC‘s “Morning Joe that Puerto Rico needs “all hands on deck” as it struggles to recover from “the perfect storm” created by damages from hurricanes Irma and Maria in the island nation.
But the 12 churches that have been contacted are doing all they can to help the survivors.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency gave Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams permission to move onto the island to help recovery efforts. The teams had been on standby as National Guard and U.S. military troops conducted search and rescue efforts and delivered emergency humanitarian resources.
In the meantime, NAMB has been working closely with state Baptist partners, FEMA, the American Red Cross and Southern Baptist pastors on the island to set a response in place.
The Southern Baptist response will include feeding teams that will be serving at several locations throughout the island. In addition, Send Relief is sending care packages directly to Puerto Rican Southern Baptist pastors. The packages will include vital equipment and supplies. NAMB is also working with the Florida Baptist Convention to facilitate church-to-church partnerships so Southern Baptist churches on the mainland can work directly with counterparts in Puerto Rico.
The churches are doing their best with the limited resources they have. Pastors are visiting with survivors in shelters, praying with them and offering spiritual comfort.
Other agencies – such as the Red Cross — are trying to help people with the limited resources they have.