Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinators from across the Caribbean Field participated in a two-day disaster response workshop 20-21 May held at the St. James Church of the Nazarene in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 

This training marks the first time that all the district NCM coordinators and the district superintendents on the Caribbean Field were able to participate together in an NCM training event.

The main objectives were to inform participants of the local NCM organization structure and to develop the coordinators’ leadership skills regarding disaster preparation and response.

Caribbean Field Strategy Coordinator Alphonso Porter led the workshop opening. Regional NCM Coordinator Dhariana Balbuena led the sessions on the first day, and Brandon Sipes, NCM global program coordinator for disaster preparedness and emergency response, led the training on the second day.

The event emphasized the many challenges the field faces implementing and coordinating response programs. As a multi-island field spanning nearly 2,000 miles and approximately 14 districts across 20 countries, programmatic coordination can be difficult. 

“The Caribbean Field will have to employ innovative ways of staying connected, including video conferencing and other forms technology in order to raise the profile of NCM and achieve its goals,” said Ro-Anne Harry, Caribbean Field NCM coordinator.

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica