As the correspondant for international medicine for Pre-Med students at the Y, where most of us are active Latter-day Saints, I thought it would be interesting to hear what the Church in particular has been up to in Haiti. This perspective was given in the Saturday morning session of general conference (April 3, 2010) by Elder Wilford W. Andersen of the Seventy. I noticed in particular the contrast between how the Church's efforts went in comparision to other groups. This is something we all need to be aware of if we are planning to help others after a disaster. Here are some things the Church did right. First, there was leadership oversight both at home and in Haiti. The stake presidents and other local leaders stepped up, found out the needs of their people, and were able to hand the medical professionals a list of the needs. This communication has been totally lacking in most of the secular medical missions to Haiti and probably would have saved lives if applied more broadly. Second, with all of the meetinghouses acting as bases and the needs assessed, the Church was able to distribute food and drinking water quickly and efficiently. This has been a gigantic problem, as bandits, fear of rioting, and lack of organization have led to much of the food sent to Haiti rotting or otherwise still sitting on the tarmac. I do not know how the Church has been handling the major issues of sanitation, security, and ambulances. The revealed order of the Church has already solved two of the 4-5 major problems other doctors listed as roadblocks to Haiti's recovery.

    How would you suggest that the Church handle sanitation, security, and ambulances in a way that helps Haiti recover while using the precious fast offering and humanitarian donations of Church members frugally and wisely?

Article by Alex Heimbigner