The Tribune

By SYANN THOMPSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

sthompson@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas has seen an outpouring of help in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the majority from international Christian charities who are continuing their recovery efforts for the long term and plan to be in Grand Bahama and Abaco over the next several years to help rebuild.

Senior Pastor of Mount Tabor Church, Bishop Neil Ellis, said the continued showing of love and support from the international Christian community even months after Hurricane Dorian has been overwhelming. In the midst of this difficult time, he said, seeing Bahamians come together and help one another has been heart-warming and encouraging.

“Locally, I’ve been very impressed with how people around our own country have been doing their part. They really stepped up to the plate and I felt like the Bahamas was coming back to this whole spirit of being who we are: one another’s keeper. I felt a strong spirit of brotherhood and helping your neighbour. Simultaneously to that, the way people outside of our country stepped up to the plate has been nothing short of incredible. The way faith-based organisations and other charitable organisations led the way with recovery efforts is something to take note of when it comes to the body of Christ. I believe that it has to do with how they see our country. Yes, we have our problems, we have our issues, but people abroad and the international church community still sees the Bahamas and the Bahamian people as a Christian nation and I think they felt a sense of obligation to come to the aid of their brothers and sisters,” said Bishop Ellis.

Among those international Christian charities is Samaritan’s Purse, one of the first Christian organisations that arrived in the Bahamas in the aftermath of Dorian. While the organisation cannot say exactly how many years they plan to be in the Bahamas, they have set up a local office to man their recovery efforts. Nick Bechert of their Disaster Assistance Response Team on the ground said the aid efforts for the Bahamas are extensive and will require more time.

“With a disaster of this scale, recovery is not a quick or easy process. Samaritan’s Purse is opening a long-term base of operations in the Bahamas to help affected families continue to recover and rebuild following the storm. Additionally, teams of volunteers are working on Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay, removing debris, tarping roofs, and pumping out contaminated water reservoirs,” said Mr Bechert.

Instrumental in facilitating Samaritan’s Purse was Bishop Ellis, who said before the hurricane landed, the international aid organisation sent a loaded plane with supplies to be ready for the aftermath.

“Samaritan’s Purse was actually speaking to me from the hurricane warnings were being made, so the day the hurricane hit Abaco, Samaritan’s Purse loaded a plane and got it to Florida, and the day we had the all-clear, they came in. They actually came to Nassau and then we facilitated the shipment to Abaco and Grand Bahama,” said Bishop Ellis.

Additionally, Samaritan’s Purse deployed its Emergency Field Hospital to provide life-saving care to Hurricane Dorian victims at the request of the World Health Organisation and the Bahamas government. In two months, Samaritan’s Purse medical personnel treated more than 7,600 patients at the Freeport, Grand Bahama Emergency Field Hospitals.

So far, the critical relief Samaritan’s Purse has provided includes 18 flights carrying 360 tonnes of cargo, in excess of 16,700 tarps for emergency shelter, over 12,400 blankets, more than 6,600 solar lights, 7,300 plus hygiene kits, over 940 generators and more than a million litres of clean water.

Other Christian groups who have lended a hand include Convoy of Hope, Mission of Hope, Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, Operation Barbeque, Paula White Ministries and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Mission of Hope is committed to being in the Bahamas for the next year, according to Bishop Ellis. The team was on the ground in Abaco from the second day of the all-clear and one of the main purposes was to assist pastors.

“The only thing they are focusing on is the rebuilding of churches in Abaco and the rebuilding of pastors’ homes in Abaco. They have been so focused in this area to the point that they have six churches back in operation in Abaco. All the groups that I have dealt with are faith-based, they are not just interested in the physical man, but the healing of souls for people in need since this storm,” said Bishop Ellis.