In early October disaster struck the Caribbean in the form of Hurricane Matthew, which hit many of the tiny, impoverished nations there as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Several of the countries where MTW has missionaries and national partners were in the path of this storm, and a fund was been established to help with recovery efforts.

Many have given generously toward the Caribbean Disaster Relief project, and we are grateful for each gift. We wanted to give you an update on the plans we have moving forward in the region.

Two MTW fields, Haiti and the Bahamas, were heavily hit by the storm. We are thankful that our missionaries and close national partners are all safe, but realize that is not the case with many in these countries. Following our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s example, our hope is to first provide relief to victim’s physical needs, all the while proclaiming the gospel.

Bahamas
In the Bahamas, this relief effort will flow through our current partner in Nassau (St. Andrews Presbyterian Kirk). MTW has been partnering with the Kirk since early 2013. Our hope is to help foster the outreach ability of the Kirk as they support the residents of this disaster by helping them repair and rebuild as well as jump start ministry for an MTW long-term team preparing to deploy in December. This MTW team will be starting a new church-planting project in Nassau. These churches will show the love of Christ as they address the physical need. This will also open doors for the gospel to be presented in a real and tangible way.

Haiti
In Haiti, a country still not yet recovered from the earthquake in 2010, there are 1.2 million people affected by the hurricane. We have made a strategic and logistical decision to focus our attention on the northwest part of Haiti which is very neglected and underreported by the media. Focusing our efforts on the northwest region offers an opportunity for us to plan strategically for possible future ministry. We plan to help the people of this area rebuild lost homes and repair homes that suffered major damage.

We are thankful for you and your partnership in ministry around the globe. Your generous gifts allow us to assist those with tremendous needs. As plans unfold and these goals are accomplished, we desire to keep you updated on how the Lord is using your gifts for His kingdom work. We appreciate your prayers for our missionaries and our national partners who are working in these areas, that the Lord would use them in a mighty way to spread the gospel.

Your gifts are still needed. If you have not yet given, please consider making a donation to MTW’s Caribbean Disaster Response Project.