ATLANTA (ABP) — The presidents of five historically African-American Baptist denominations have presented a check for $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to help rebuild homes destroyed in Haiti by January's earthquake.
The contribution, the largest single donation given by a faith community to Habitat's earthquake relief efforts, is part of an ongoing commitment by the African-American Baptist Mission Collaboration, a four-month-old partnership representing 40,000 church congregations and 10 million Christians nationwide.
Presidents from Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention; National Baptist Convention, USA; National Baptist Convention of America; National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; and the Progressive National Baptist Convention were on hand for the presentation June 8.
"We are inspired to invest in this ministry for housing solutions, because we are following the teachings of Jesus who said that when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give shelter to those without shelter that we do this for him," said Stephen Thurston, president of the National Baptist Convention of America. "We do this for Jesus, and we do this for those who suffer in Haiti."
Mike Carscaddon, executive vice president of Habitat for Humanity International, said the gift would build 630 homes in the town of Cabaret, where Habitat hopes to build a total of 3,000 homes.
"Our overall goal is to serve approximately 50,000 families in Haiti," Carscaddon said. "This significant gift from the AABMC will be used for our work in Cabaret to help 630 families have shelter."
Announced Feb. 8, the coalition linking resources for relief and recovery in Haiti is the largest joint effort of its kind for five distinct groups that evolved around various organizational and philosophical differences that divided African-American Baptists during the 20th century.
David Emmanuel Goatley, executive secretary-treasurer of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, called five groups making such a large gift in such a short time "a sign of the movement of the Holy Spirit."
"Our harmonious work is a testimony that, as Jesus prayed, we are one," Goatley said.
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
-30-
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
Previous story:
African-American Baptists collaborate to help Haiti
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.