SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, March 9, 2005. To help the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA Dominicana) enhance its humanitarian health intervention in the bateyes, the United States-based Disciples of Christ?s Week of Compassion (WOC) donated last week funds to the organization to purchase a new motor vehicle. ?Disciples\WOC are pleased to be in partnership with BRA to respond to medical needs in the Dominican Republic,? said Johnny Wray, Executive Director of the WOC.

The double-cabin pick up truck will make it easier for BRA?s local foreign volunteers, health care providers, personnel and patients to travel to and from the bateyes ? and to rush critical medicines, supplies and laboratory test results to the organization?s mobile clinic and medical center where hundreds of poor undocumented Haitian migrant families, their children and Dominicans receive free health care. ?We express our sincere gratitude and thanks to the WOC and Johnny Wray for their continued support to the BRA. Through this generous gift, they are increasing our capacity to save more lives,? said Ulrick Gaillard, Chief Executive Officer of the BRA.

BRA recognized the WOC’s donation by inscribing on the vehicle?s doors: Donated by Disciples’ Week of Compassion.

The BRA seeks to purchase a second vehicle to provide additional transport to critically-ill patients who need to travel to city hospitals for advanced treatment. Many sometimes are too poor to afford basic public transport ? example of which, one BRA AIDS pregnant patient had to delivery naturally at home because she did not have money to travel to a hospital to deliver by C-section to prevent her new born from contracting the HIV virus.

Please help by mailing your tax-deductible gifts payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. You may also make your donations ONLINE.