Bishop appeals for engineer

Wanted: A volunteer civil engineer who will help in the massive reconstruction of schools and churches in the Anglican diocese of the Windward Islands after they were severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan. The hurricane struck many parts of the Caribbean last September.

Incentive: A chance to respond to a great need from a nation battered by the hurricane described as “the worst in living memory.”

Bishop Sehon Goodridge, diocesan bishop for the Windward Islands, has made an urgent appeal for a volunteer to help rebuild damaged schools, churches and rectories, saying that local engineers have their hands full attending to some 90 per cent of private and public properties that were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane.

The Windward Islands are comprised of the islands of Saint Vincent, Grenada, and Saint Lucia, along with the Grenadines.

“The demand for a civil engineer is great given that the damage is very real,” said Canon Philip Wadham, Latin America and Caribbean mission co-ordinator of the Anglican Church of Canada’s partnerships department. He recently met with Bishop Sehon during a provincial synod of the Church in the Province of the West Indies in Belize. “People have been worshipping in the open air. Children are back in school but in provisional facilities,” said Mr. Wadham.

The Anglican church operates two secondary schools and a number of primary schools spread all over the islands. At least six of its churches have suffered varying degrees of destruction.

Anyone wishing to volunteer as a civil engineer should be prepared to stay for a minimum of one year, said Mr. Wadham. Costs of roundtrip airfare and other incidental expenses will be borne by the Canadian church’s partnerships department. (For more information, contact Canon Philip Wadham at (416) 924-9199 ext. 223, or by e-mail at [email protected])

The diocese of the Windward Islands has estimated losses from damaged church and school buildings at $10 to $15 million US and continues to have an urgent need for funds, said Mr. Wadham.

The Hurricane Ivan Relief Fund, which the Canadian church set up in September, has received $30,160.92, from parishes, dioceses, and individual Anglicans across Canada.

Those wishing to donate may send cheques to: Anglican Church of Canada/Hurricane Ivan Relief Fund, c/o Claudia Alvarez, 80 Hayden St., Toronto ON, M4Y 3G2. For more information, contact Ms. Alvarez at (416) 924-9199 ext. 270.