"California Southern Baptists still are waiting for our time to provide help and hope to the people of Haiti,” said Don Hargis, California Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief coordinator.

Many are asking, “What can we do NOW?"

That seems to be the question permeating Southern Baptists nationwide. Here’s how California Southern Baptists can be involved:

Praying
Pray for the people of Haiti that have been affected. Pray they will see a new normal. Also pray that the Father will be seen by the Haitians as the great deliverer and giver of hope.

Giving
Please pray about how you can help disaster relief financially. Those wishing to give financially can donate through CSBC congregations, by sending a check (made payable to CSBC Disaster Relief) to CSBC, 678 E. Shaw Ave., Fresno 93710, or  by donating now online. Disaster Relief contributions are used to underwrite California Southern Baptist Convention's response to natural disasters (hurricanes, tornados, floods, etc.) that occur in California, nearby states or mission partnership countries. These response services include the preparation of hot meals to disaster victims who are without basic utility services, cleanup of homes, recovery assistance to victims without insurance resources and transportation for volunteers to the affected areas. Your contribution may be used for any current or future disaster response efforts.

Buckets of Hope
The deadline for dropping off “Buckets of Hope” to send to Haiti earthquake disaster relief victims is Sunday, March 14. Don Hargis, CSBC Disaster Relief coordinator says, “This is a tangible way of providing food and hope to the people of Haiti.”

The North American Mission Board, Baptist Global Response, and state convention Disaster Relief directors are asking families of CSBC churches to purchase white, five-gallon buckets and pack them with required foodstuffs for $30 each. The food in a single bucket can feed a Haitian family for a week. Baptists also are asked to include a $10 check (made payable to CSBC) placed in an envelope and attached to the bucket's lid to help with the costs of shipping the buckets directly to Haiti. A detailed instruction sheet about what to buy and how to pack the bucket has been developed for use by those wishing to participate.

Three drop-off locations (south, central and north) have been established to receive the buckets. The drop-off locations are:

Central California Drop-off Location
CSBC Ministry Resource Center
678 E. Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93710
Contact: Don Hargis
559-284-6967

Northern California Drop-off Location Baptist Church
Fourteenth Avenue Baptist Church
6240 14th Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95820
Contact: Ken Waltman
916-425-6083

Southern California Drop-off Location
Crescent Southern Baptist Church
622 N. Gilbert St.
Anaheim, CA 92801
Contact: Jerry Walker
714-420-2003

Disaster Relief Volunteers
All CSBC Disaster Relief volunteers interested in being on one of the first California teams must:

• Be trained,
• Have a current passport,
• Have all your shots up-to-date (including tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A&B, and malaria pills),
• Go through a CSBC Disaster Relief screening process by the director or a lead chaplain,
• Be able to plan on surviving by being self-contained.

Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief leaders are planning a strategy in mid-February to place the states ready to go in a rotation system.

At the last word, the government of Haiti has closed it's country to mission groups that are not first responders or who do not have logistics set up to take care of basic needs (shelter, food, transportation).

Please continue to pray for Disaster Relief volunteers as they prepare to go to Haiti.

DR training events
Three Disaster Relief Training events are scheduled during the first half of 2010. February and March events are scheduled in Southern California while a May event is slated for Northern California. Select the one that best suits your schedule and register to attend.

February 18-20, 2010
New Mount Calvary Baptist Church
402 E. El Segundo Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90061

To register online click here.

March 25-27, 2010
Saddleback Valley Community Church
1 Saddleback Pkwy.
Lake Forest, CA 92630

To register online click here.

May 13-15, 2010
Fellowship Church at Granite Bay
5635 Douglas Blvd.
Granite Bay, CA 95746

To register online click here.

For more information about Disaster Relief, please contact California Southern Baptist Convention, Disaster Relief Ministries, 678 E. Shaw Ave., Fresno 93710; (559) 229.9533, ext. 255, or e-mail disasterrelief@csbc.com.