A short perusal of the press releases on the LDS Newsroom web site demonstrates the Mormon Church’s commitment to humanitarian aid around the world. The organization’s quick response to areas devastated by floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc., is well publicized and well known. The Church’s web site states,

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world. Projects operate without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.”

Yet even in the beneficent act of charitable relief things can go wrong. A surprising news story from Haiti appeared this week regarding the LDS Church’s local aid during Hurricane Tomas. In “No Sanctuary at This Church in Haitian Storm,” AOL News reports,

“LEOGANE, Haiti (Nov. 8 ) — The water in Haiti’s seaside town of Leogane rose to the doorsteps of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But if you’re local, and homeless, you needn’t have bothered coming here for help. Help is for Mormons only.”

According to AOL News, 1,500 people in the city were displaced by the hurricane and, though the LDS church building could safely shelter 200 people, the “church’s hurricane policy” is shelter for members only. Thus, 36 Mormons slept in the building, but they did not receive any food, water, or sleeping mats for their use.

“The church did not welcome non-Mormon community members, and did not extend much comfort to its own church family.”

Apparently it’s a pretty complicated process for local church leadership to gain permission to help non-Mormons. When asked what he would do if a group of non-Mormon disabled children needing shelter stood before him, the “adviser to the bishop” replied,

“‘I would have to ask at another level,’ Chrisner said. ‘There is a committee. Really, it’s a committee inside of some other committees. It goes through the bishop, then a committee process … then, there’s no way to know if it’s longer or shorter. I can’t tell you how long it would take for an answer.’”

[Wouldn’t you love to see this man’s interview followed by, “My name is Matthieu Chrisner, and I’m a Mormon”?]

The local Bishop told AOL News that no displaced people were being sheltered in the church building at all. Instead,

“The church volunteered its premises as a point of coordination for the Department of Civil Protection. He said the 36 people staying at his church were support staff for civil protection employees. People interviewed at the church denied that.”

Tanya Favery, one of the Mormons sheltered at the LDS church building, was thankful for a safe place to be but she wasn’t happy about the Church’s policy. She explained,

“The Bible said to open up to everyone. Jesus saved many lives in his ministry. A lot of people used to come to Jesus for help. He helped them.”

(For the LDS Church’s response to the AOL News article click here.)