Temple rises to mission to aid Haiti quake victims

Town employees, churches, the schools, the business community, and others have worked closely with Pastor Emmanuel Philippe Joseph of the Dedham Seventh Day Adventist Haitian Temple as he has gathered resources to help Petit-Goave, a coastal community 42 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince.

The town of 12,000 people was in the midst of planning for its 350th anniversary in 2013 and was the focus of a significant redevelopment initiative when it was destroyed.

Adrienne Albani, a part-time administrative assistant with Dedham’s Conservation Commission, has been Joseph’s point person, working with him and some of his 250-member parish on the three-phase plan.

“A lot of his congregation has family over there,’’ she said. “This whole town jumped on board in such a positive way.’’

First, an account was established at Needham Bank to raise funds for a one-month mission in which Joseph and a ministry team will distribute food, medicine, supplies, and water.

“Phase two was a clothing drive, which has garnered hundreds of bags of clothing, shoes, medical supplies, and even 20 hospital beds,’’ said Albani.

The third phase was procuring a container to ship items to Haiti for distribution, she said. That was donated by one of the town’s vendors, Recycling Solutions. And since then, donations of summer clothing, shoes, medical supplies, non-perishable items, and children’s bicycles have been collected and packed in the 45-foot trailer that sits on the town parking lot near St. Mary’s Church.

Town Administrator Bill Keegan praised Albani for “rising to the occasion’’ to lead the relief effort. “It is just a great community that way,’’ he said. “People feel compelled to help.’’

Every few days, Albani and Joseph meet at the trailer to pack in the latest round of donations. On a recent stop, the pair were delivering clothing and shoes. The weekend before that, they dropped off children’s scooters, bikes, dolls, and stuffed animals, as well as a big shipment of clothing donated by the students at Noble and Greenough School.

Joseph is also asking for help with crutches and walkers to help the thousands of people who lost limbs in the earthquake. The response, he said, has been tremendous.

Joseph’s sister in Port-au-Prince is still living in a tent, as are thousands of others, with her two small children at her side.

When the news arrived that the island nation had been destroyed, Joseph said many members of his congregation, including himself, were in denial.

“We said it can’t be true, that can’t happen,’’ he recalled.

But when reality sank in, it was time for action, he said. And an abiding faith has been their lifeline.

“People have courage, and hope is effective,’’ he said. “Haitians usually sing their way through trouble. So there have been many songs.’’

Petit-Goave was chosen as the recipient of Dedham’s aid because most of the rest of the world’s assistance has gone to Port-au-Prince, he said. “And there are other people who need us.’’

Joseph uses one of the community’s three churches as a distribution center and will deliver medical supplies to Notre Dame Hospital, which was toppled in the quake. The Norwegian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit has established its field hospital at Notre Dame and runs two fully equipped operating rooms and has two ambulances with paramedics, officials said.

The Norwegian group has managed to get electricity to the hospital, as well as some medical supplies and medicine.

A recent tally showed Dedham has raised $3,100 toward the $5,600 cost of shipping the container to Petit-Goave. Another $4,800 has been earmarked for travel expenses for the mission team, as well as for the bulk purchase of beans and rice.

Donations of any kind or denomination are welcomed. Checks made out to the Haitian Relief Fund can be sent to The Needham Bank, 402 Washington St., Dedham, MA 02026.

Clothing and other donated items should be brought to Town Hall, and not left at the container, Albani and Joseph said.

“All funds that are donated will directly minister to those who need it,’’ Albani said. “Everything is important.’’

Michele Morgan Bolton can be reached at mmbolton1@verizon.net.