Church reaches out to Haiti

The Community Refuge Church of Christ in Manalapan, Sobechko Road, Manalapan, has established the Help Haiti Project - Rebuilding Haiti One Brick at a Time to assist Haitians whose lives were devastated by the Jan. 12 earthquake in the Caribbean nation.

Many members of the church are Haitian and, along with the congregation and the community, they are collecting food and clothing, making direct connections to Haitian families, and they have planned a longterm building project in Haiti.

“Right now the greatest need in Haiti is baby food, medicine and clothing,” said Marie Prophete, who chairs the Help Haiti Project. “We also are collecting items including water, blankets, medicine, clothing and nonperishable food, and sending the donations to Haiti through the American Red Cross.”

She said a key element in the church’s Help Haiti Project is that many members of the congregation are Haitian or of Haitian descent and are in contact with their families in Haiti. About 15 percent of the congregation’s approximately 150 members have Haitian origins.

“Our goal is that through these church members and others, we can assist local Haitian families to meet the needs of their relatives in Haiti,” said Prophete, who has family in Haiti, including her father, William Lamour, an uncle and cousins. “We have direct contact and can make connections.”

Also, Prophete said, the church members may be able to help any local Haitian families with needs such as finding lodging in Haiti, providing financial assistance or locating relatives.

“I remember what is was like after the earthquake happened and I was finally able to reach my father,” she said. “I was crying and he was crying, and in the background people were crying for water and food. It was just terrible.”

Prophete said that even before the earthquake struck Haiti, she wanted to do something to help the Haitian people, but did not know what to do. A church member suggested the Help Haiti Project, she said, and a plan was formulated to help the immediate needs of the people as well as a future goal.

“My father donated some land in Haiti to the church to be used to help the Haitian people,” said Prophete, who has been a member of the church for four years. “Right now the goal is to use the land for Haitian children by perhaps building a school or an orphanage.”

The Help Haiti Project, she said, will be an ongoing project.

“I intend to go to Haiti in about a year and directly see that Help Haiti Project donations are helping the needs of the people. Also, I hope to begin to prepare plans for the children’s building project,” said Prophete. “We welcome any help in meeting these goals.”

The Rev. Fred Rubin, pastor of the Community Refuge Church of Christ in Manalapan since 1974, is a member of the church’s Help Haiti Project committee that includes Carmen Rubin, Chrisla Joseph and Yves F. Pierrelouis. The project, he said, is open to any member of the community.

“There may be Haitian families in our community that are not aware help is possible,” said Rubin, who was employed for 18 years by the Freehold Regional High School District as a teacher and guidance counselor at Freehold and the Manalapan high schools. “Also, it’s an opportunity on a local level to help.”

Rubin said donations of clothing and nonperishable food may be dropped off at the church, 4 Sobechko Road, off Pension Road, Manalapan, after Sunday services that run from 11:30 a.m. to about 1:15 p.m., or by appointment.

To make a monetary donation, make checks payable to the Community Refuge Church, with a memo Help Haiti Project, and send to the Community Refuge Church, P.O. Box 725, Manalapan, NJ 07726.

For more information about the Help Haiti Project call 732-446-2230 or send an email to crhelphaiti@gmail.com.