Adventist Christians on the Front Lines to Fight Haiti’s Blood Crisis
Faced with the critical shortage of blood products in Haiti, citizens are losing their lives due to lack of available transfusions. The Konbit San Pou San (KSPS) and the Seventh-day Adventist Church come together to save lives by promoting the culture of blood donation. Thanks to the commitment of community leaders like Johnny Rock Markenley LOUISSAINT, hope is being reborn within communities.
The insufficient availability of blood products in Haiti has already caused the death of many Haitian citizens, whether after an accident, during childbirth, during an operation or due to chronic illness. They can’t find a blood bag in time to save their lives.
The National Blood Transfusion Center (CNTS) communicated to Konbit San Pou San that annual requests generally vary between 70,000 and 80,000 blood bags. Sometimes, with the rise in insecurity and the increase in road accidents, demand can even reach 100,000 annual pockets. However, it is not easy to collect 30,000 bags per year. This gives an idea of the number of compatriots who suffer and lose their lives every year because of this blood shortage.
The culture of blood donation in Haiti still remains taboo for many. In 2020, a group of Haitian professionals and community leaders founded Konbit San Pou San to provide a response to this silent crisis that is killing Haitians. The KSPS relaunches the debate among young people in associations, university and professional spaces, the media and religious circles. The work is immense, but we are starting to see great progress.
We would like to highlight one of the groups, institutions or circles that are actively participating in helping Haiti establish a good, equitable blood transfusion system to save lives: the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Konbit San Pou San (KSPS) highlights in its archives the active and regular participation of Christians of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in almost all organized collections. Young Christian and leader Johnny Rock Markenley LOUISSAINT, leader of the Adventist youth troop, said: "It is a troop trained to go beyond prayer, but above all to participate in activities that allow everyone to find their place in society without exclusion. We receive first aid training to be present for the community in the event of an emergency.
Mackenley is a model and committed Christian. He has already donated blood five times with Konbit San Pou San.
In my Seventh-day Adventist church of Tékoa in Clercine 4, we are very active and present to help our community. We can sense that more and more churches are engaging in social work in their communities, but we want to see more effort. Before being Christians, we are human beings, Haitians, and we must be there for each other. The majority of our blood donations are made on the Sabbath (Saturday) since that is the day these blood drives are often held. Me and my brothers and sisters from church go to church in the morning and then we go to donate blood. In Mark 3:4, Jesus asks the question: ’Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a person or to kill him?’ But they remained silent. We have decided not to remain silent,
concludes Mackenley.
Awareness message:
The blood products crisis in Haiti is a tragic reality that can affect any of us at any time. We call on all churches and Christians to join this vital effort. Donating blood is an act of love and solidarity that can save lives. As a community, we have the power to make a meaningful difference. Take a few minutes out of your day every 3 or 4 months to donate blood and help save lives. Together, we can overcome this crisis and offer a better future to our compatriots. May God bless you for your generosity and compassion.
kote map jwen kòmantè ki fèt yo
July 19, 2024 - 04:23:17 PMMwen konplimante mouvman sila.. Mwen ta Renmen nan jou kap vini yo, poum se Youn kap bay San nan la croix rouge Pou sove vi lòt Moun... Chapo ba ??
September 03, 2024 - 10:42:37 PM