HAITI
Readers will be aware that we were able to start our first church here about 2 months ago, and that since then the group have grown mightily. And now the very area where they lived, in Carrefour just outside Port au Prince, has been one of the worst hit areas in the huge earthquake that's occured. Current estimates speak of 100,000 dead and the area devastated- where 80% already were living below the poverty line. Readers have likely seen enough gruesome photos of the situation on the media, but there's a local Haitian website which has presently the most comprehensive collection at http://www.metropolehaiti.com/photo/img.php?id_img=608 . This must rank amongst one of the worst disasters of recent times. We had been enjoying some email chatting with Brother Esmath [presumably he was in an internet cafe where he usually emails from] until the last message was received at 20:48 GMT on 12 January. It was a Word document summary of his teaching the previous Sunday. We made a response to the effect "Good job!" and heard no more. This was in fact less than an hour before the earthquake struck. Our brother had written just before that a mail as follows:
"If you were here physically close to me , you would see how happy and overjoyed I am while writing you these lines. My joy is overflowed every time I have opportunity to communicate with you Brothers. Now the light of the real Gospel is being shone and there is no more confusion. Let me present to you my deeply congratulations because yesterday I received a parcel contained some french documents that are very interesting , and can be very helpful to me in my teaching. Keep on praying God for that ministry because my dreams is to preach the real gospel by opening the eyes of some many people all over Haiti, not only around Carrefour. Amazing thins Happend last sunday! Last Sunday we had two services, the ordinary service started from 6:00 to 9:00 Am . I attempted a second service that was a success ans was packed also. what was it ? the second service was an English started from 9:00 to 11:00 , that is to say the worshipping was in English ,I invited more than 60 people who speak English, specially my former students, It was a success because there were more people than the first service. many people remained standing but it was a blessing because the presence of God was there. Bonne journée mes frères!"
Readers will be aware that we were able to start our first church here about 2 months ago, and that since then the group have grown mightily. And now the very area where they lived, in Carrefour just outside Port au Prince, has been one of the worst hit areas in the huge earthquake that's occured. Current estimates speak of 100,000 dead and the area devastated- where 80% already were living below the poverty line. Readers have likely seen enough gruesome photos of the situation on the media, but there's a local Haitian website which has presently the most comprehensive collection at http://www.metropolehaiti.com/photo/img.php?id_img=608 . This must rank amongst one of the worst disasters of recent times. We had been enjoying some email chatting with Brother Esmath [presumably he was in an internet cafe where he usually emails from] until the last message was received at 20:48 GMT on 12 January. It was a Word document summary of his teaching the previous Sunday. We made a response to the effect "Good job!" and heard no more. This was in fact less than an hour before the earthquake struck. Our brother had written just before that a mail as follows:
"If you were here physically close to me , you would see how happy and overjoyed I am while writing you these lines. My joy is overflowed every time I have opportunity to communicate with you Brothers. Now the light of the real Gospel is being shone and there is no more confusion. Let me present to you my deeply congratulations because yesterday I received a parcel contained some french documents that are very interesting , and can be very helpful to me in my teaching. Keep on praying God for that ministry because my dreams is to preach the real gospel by opening the eyes of some many people all over Haiti, not only around Carrefour. Amazing thins Happend last sunday! Last Sunday we had two services, the ordinary service started from 6:00 to 9:00 Am . I attempted a second service that was a success ans was packed also. what was it ? the second service was an English started from 9:00 to 11:00 , that is to say the worshipping was in English ,I invited more than 60 people who speak English, specially my former students, It was a success because there were more people than the first service. many people remained standing but it was a blessing because the presence of God was there. Bonne journée mes frères!"
In the midst of our plans, we have to say "God willing...". Our brother worked for the United Nations and as such they informed his relatives in USA that he is in fact alive but his home has collapsed and like many others he is sleeping in the street. This is all the news we have, all phones are down. We don't know what has become of the other brethren. Clearly there is immense suffering all over and to even begin to think of where to begin coping with it is a daunting task. We have sent our brother US$ 2000 and this will be used for welfare work. What's really needed is for someone to go out there and try to get a handle on what can really be done as well as to account for the rest of our brethren and their families.
Our prayers are of course with the whole situation, and to focus your prayers here's a picture sent by br Esmath last week of the Sunday meetings at his place [he is at the back in blue shirt and red tie]- which is now flattened by the earthquake to the point he's sleeping in the street outside:
Our church's Meal A Day Program is currently assisting in Haiti with Partners in Health (PIH) to support basic medical care for prisoners in Haiti. Now the need is desperate to provide basic medical attention to perhaps thousands injured in this earthquake.
They are in contact with both PIH and with a church family in Haiti to see how they can best help. PIH is asking for financial donations for emergency medical supplies for their hospitals and other medical care facilities already in place in Haiti.
If you wish to help with this urgent need, please click the link below to go to the Meal a Day contribution page and use PayPal to make a secure donation. Or else, you can mail a donation designating it for "Haiti". Details are on the linked page.
May all of the Haitians know that the world is mourning with them and that we will be there to help in their time of need!
