Talk on Haiti

April Perry, founder and head of the nonprofit Luke's Mission and just back from working in Haiti, will talk about her experiences in the earthquake-ravaged nation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Wednesday.

The talk, which will be held in the sanctuary, will begin at 6:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

The church is at 1320 Umstead Road.

On the Web

Visit www.heraldsun.com to read April Perry's Log from Haiti and to see more photos from her time there.

By Neil Offen

noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646

DURHAM -- April Perry has seen what Haiti needs.

After 10 days on a medical mission in the earthquake-ravaged nation, Perry has seen the shortages of water and food and clothing and medical supplies. She understands that many here would want to send those items.

"But you have to consider what is best for the Haitian people," said Perry, a nurse at Duke Hospital and the founder and head of Luke's Mission, a Durham-based nonprofit that runs medical missions in Haiti.

"Do people want to do what is best for the Haitian people or do they want to make themselves feel better?"

In other words, she said, if you want to help and want to do more than just feel noble about it, "give money."

"That is, by far, the best thing people can do now. Collecting things, like clothing and supplies, will come, but right now, there's not enough infrastructure to get that stuff out to people."

In the best of times, she pointed out, "it's not easy to ship stuff to Haiti."

"Money works better now," she said.

Perry recalled her experiences in New Orleans, where she worked in disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina.

"There were trucks and trucks and trucks of clothes sent down to New Orleans after Katrinia," she said. "It made people feel good -- but it was almost all wasted. We saw piles of clothes in a parking lot, all of it getting rained on. Everything was ruined because there was no way to get the clothing to people."

In a month or so, Perry said, collecting shoes and food would be a good idea because, then, she hoped, a distribution system would be in place.

But in the meantime, "if you want to do something effective, help those who are doing the most good now."

She singled out two relief organizations, Samaritan's Purse and the American Red Cross, who were, she said, doing really good work.

"It might not make you feel as good," Perry said, "but sending money to organizations like that is absolutely the best thing you can do now."

Perry plans on returning to Haiti in two or three months. The nation's needs, she said, will still be there -- "particularly for medical care, that will remain an acute need."

When she returns, she said, her focus will be on the people affiliated with her organization, Luke's Mission. "We have to help them rebuild their lives," Perry said, "and we'll need help to do that."