Waterborne Illness Cholera Hits Haiti After Hurricane Matthew – Here’s How You Can Help

There are days I become frustrated with the smallest of inconveniences: my hair looks weird, my kid is being difficult, or dinner didn't turn out quite as I had hoped. When these annoyances get all up in my face, it's hard to remember that there are people who are struggling fiercely.

Recently, Hurricane Matthew, a devastating storm, hit the Caribbean and made its way up the US East Coast killing 1,384 people. People lost homes, possessions, pets, and loved ones. And although the rains may have subsided, Matthew's devastation is still taking lives.

The already battered and broken people of Haiti face another deadly catastrophe. Matthew severed water pipelines which resulted in the contamination of drinking water leaving Haitians vulnerable to the waterborne infection cholera. Cholera can be fatal within hours if it's not treated.

The organization Samaritan's Purse is on the front line to help.

Samaritan’s Purse has set up a Cholera Treatment Center in a remote area of western Haiti that so far has been the hardest hit by the disease. We have deployed a team of doctors and nurses, who are working to save lives and reduce suffering. We also sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to serve alongside our Samaritan’s Purse staff based in Haiti to distribute aid to those most affected by the deadly storm.

Our DC-8 cargo plane made five flights to Haiti in the days after the hurricane, carrying a total of 100 tons of tarps, hygiene kits, water filters, and blankets. It also has transported medical supplies for the Cholera Treatment Center, including IV fluids, antibiotics, oral rehydration solution, and educational materials on how to reduce the spread of cholera.

And as our staff works around the clock to provide urgently needed relief to the people of Haiti, we have also deployed our U.S. Disaster Relief staff and equipment—including three of our Disaster Relief Units (DRU)—to hard-hit locations in the Carolinas where the storm dumped up to 18 inches of rain. The DRUs will serve as command centers for our staff and volunteer teams as they clean out flood-damaged homes, tarp roofs, and remove trees downed by the hurricane’s winds.

Please pray for those who have been devastated by Hurricane Matthew in the U.S., Haiti, and other areas. And please also lift up our teams as they work to provide physical relief and the eternal hope of the Gospel to these suffering people.

I can't imagine going through a storm like that, and live in a place where there is no hope. No hope of bettering myself, no hope of income to move, and no hope for myself or my children when disaster strikes.

Though I have no affiliation with Samaritan's Purse, I have followed this organization for a number of years and believe in their mission to do good. They routinely receive the highest financial responsibility scores from charity watches. I hope you will consider donating or volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.