Hardship after Hurricane Hugo brought ministers of various religions together to help people in the territory recover. More than 20 years later, members of the Interfaith Coalition of St. Croix are still reaching out to help people.
The coalition was started by a group of ministers right after Hurricane Hugo devastated St. Croix in 1989. The ministers coordinated efforts to help repair homes and get information, supplies and materials in and out. Faith leaders reached out to their network of congregations in the states for assistance.
Denise Lenhardt-Benoit, executive coordinator at Interfaith Coalition, said after Hugo people ddn’t know where to start the recovery process. Most buildings were without roofs and rebuilding was moving slowly. Most residents were without power for six months. some for much longer.
Jerry Weninger, board member and officer of Interfaith Coalition and one of the original volunteers, said in a recent interview that in the first five years after Hugo everyone was still working on recovery efforts. He said Hurricane Marilyn hit in 1995 and the coalition stepped in again to help with recovery, but that hurricane was nothing like Hugo.
The coalition is an organization that brings the community together through a brotherhood of faiths including Christians, Muslims, Bahais, Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, and Ifa/Yoruba.
“There aren’t any religious agendas, we just happen to be a grassroots, faith-based organization,” Lenhardt-Benoit says. “We assist people of St. Croix in building a fellowship of people above and beyond a spiritual agenda.”
Lenhardt-Benoit said the coalition of many faiths is making a difference by honoring the integrity of the human spirit and working together to improve the quality of life for all on St. Croix.
One of those projects is the Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers Project that aids those who aren’t served by other agencies. Volunteers do things as simple as reading books aloud or just being a friend to an elderly individual. Some may make phone calls, write letters, assist with filling out forms, shop or give a break to full time caregivers.
"All the caregiver is expected to give of their time and skills is whatever they say they can give," said Elisa McKay, caregivers coordinator. McKay says the caregivers are the link between formal and informal care-giving.
"Ideally the volunteers are recruited through churches," McKay said. She says this program provides people of all faiths the opportunity to serve by serving others. The program is promoted and supported by the National Federation of Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Inc.
With a commitment to peace, Weninger, and Carolyn Keys co-direct the Alternatives to Violence Project.
AVP workshops on conflict resolution and alternative ways to respond to violence are conducted for local schools, community service organizations and agencies. They have done workshops for the Work Able Prevention Coalition, The Village Partners in Recovery, Positive Changes staff, and youth in the Eulalie Rivera and Alexander Henderson Elementary Schools. Workshops have also been done at the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility and the Youth Rehabilitation Center.
Dr. Cora Christian, board member and officer of the coalition, will launch a campaign soon for an HIV/AIDS education outreach program.
The coalition holds an International Film Series a few times a year with a reasonably priced dinner and a spiritual movie shown. Every spring the group holds a concert of choir members from all over St. Croix, and on Dec. 31 they hold a World Peace Prayer meeting.
In November they give thanks and praise at an annual Thanksgiving prayer breakfast, giving thanks for the island making it safely through another hurricane season.
Weninger says members are still ready to help if a disaster hits St. Croix.
“The coalition is a very positive conduit for all to come together and work on a common cause,” Weninger says. “If we have a more active community we can get a lot more done.”
For more information or to volunteer for Interfaith Coalition call 719-4972. The coalition is funded by United Way of St. Croix.
