In response to two deadly earthquakes Feb. 6 and 20 that killed more than 47,000 and displaced millions in Turkey and Syria, Buckner International is sending humanitarian aid to Syria this week.
 
The aid shipment is a collaboration between Texas Baptist Men, Baylor Scott & White Health, and the European Baptist Federation, all connected through the Baptist World Alliance. Buckner humanitarian aid leaders assembled a shipment of 1,500 blankets and more than 500 coats to be distributed to children, families and seniors devastated by the earthquake. The combined shipments from Buckner, Baylor and TBM will include more than 10,000 blankets. 
 

A Texas Baptist Men volunteer offloads a pallet of blankets destined for Syria following deadly earthquakes there and Turkey in February.

“We had these items on hand in our Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid and are happy to send these resources to the victims of the earthquakes,” said Buckner International President and CEO Albert Reyes, who also serves as vice-president of the Baptist World Alliance. “Buckner is engaged in serving vulnerable children, families and seniors and right now, families in this part of the world needs us most.”
 
Reyes pointed out that many of the victims of the tragedy have lost their homes and are currently living in tents during a brutal, cold winter. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and survivors are often in need of essential resources like clean water, food and medical attention.
 
“Buckner is glad to collaborate with like-minded organizations in this response,” Reyes noted, adding that TBM also is supporting search and rescue efforts and sent a water team to Turkey to provide clean drinking water to thousands of people in four Turkish communities.

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