A&M-Commerce students pitch in for Haiti relief

Local churches and students at Texas A&M University-Commerce have started working to bring relief to those affected in the earthquake in Haiti last month.

St. Joseph Catholic Church held a special collection during mass the weekend after the earthquake hit Haiti. Students from A&M-Commerce and the Catholic Student Association were in the congregation when the collection was taken and participated in sacrificial giving.

"The weekend immediately after the earthquake in Haiti all Catholic Churches in the United States took up a special collection for Haiti," the Rev. George Monaghan of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Commerce said. "In most parishes the collection was greater than the usual Sunday collection. The funds from the collection were sent to Catholic Relief Services through the local Bishop Kevin Farrell."

The Catholic Relief Services was already present in Haiti so response was immediate. According to the Catholic Relief Services website they have had extensive work with Haitians.

Catholic Relief Services works with a wide variety of local and international partners including Caritas, Catholic Diocese throughout Haiti, the Haitian Episcopal Conference, the U.S. Agency for International Development, UNICEF, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank, the Haitian government, and a number of well-organized local associations, schools and health institutions.

"By contributing to these efforts we are able to do far more for Haiti than trying something on our own," Monaghan said.

Catholics are not the only religious group helping the relief effort.

Ridgecrest Baptist Church of Commerce is donating financially through the North American Mission Board.

"This agency will send 100% of our gifts to the relief efforts in Haiti and help support our disaster relief teams already on the field," Pastor John Hailes of Ridgecrest Baptist Church of Commerce said. "Hearing and knowing that can food drives and blanket drives are good, they are not as effective as giving to the organizations like the North American Mission Board and Red Cross who can stretch the dollar much further."

Hailes would like to send groups on a mission trip to Haiti in the near future, but currently only individuals specially trained for these types of emergencies are allowed in Haiti.

The United Methodist Church of Commerce sent a newsletter to its members describing different ways to send relief to Haiti and set up a database at www.umrespond.org/haiti for those willing to volunteer.

All efforts from the Presbyterian Church in Commerce have been directed through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program.

According to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance website they have had extensive work in aiding victims of disaster relief.

"Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables congregations and mission partners of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crisis and catastrophic events."

Checks from church members are forwarded to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program.

The relief effort is strong on campus as well.

The Student Government Association is hoping to send a group of students to Haiti in a year with funds provided by the Student Government Association. This idea was presented to the Student Government Association but has not been approved yet. However, a committee consisting of A&M-Commerce students and members of the Student Government Association is in the process of being formed to help the Student Government Association reach their goal of sending a student mission to Haiti.

For more information on how to get involved with sending relief to Haiti citizens of Commerce can contact one of the following local churches.

First Presbyterian Church of Commerce at www.fpc-commerce.org or 903-886-3783

Ridgecrest Baptist Church at www.ridgecrestcommerce.org or 903-886-6034

St. Joseph Catholic Church at frgeorge@stjoetex.net or 903-886-7135

First United Methodist Church of Commerce at office@fumccommerce.org or 903-886-3220