Three Sundays ago, I worshiped at Faustin 1st Free Methodist. They are in a temporary church built for about 1,200. It isn’t big enough. Two Sundays ago, I worshiped at Parc Chretien Church. It can seat about 2,000. People were standing in the courtyard. This past Sunday, I worshiped at Puit Blain. This temporary church can seat 1,000. They, too, have outgrown their space. All three of these churches have grown substantially over the past year. In the midst of the chaos, God is at work
PBS program “Religion and Ethics.” The video includes interviews with Rick Ireland and Jean Marc Zamor, as well as footage of Parc Chretien and Greffen FM churches.
It’s been ten months since the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in January. My memories of Haiti that stuck with me the scenes of devastation, hurting people and the smell of death. I have heard good things of what has happened here in the months since but it’s hard to mesh that reality with what I saw during that initial trip to port-au-prince to just see how the children from the international child care ministries schools and the free Methodist church got through this disaster. Today I landed in a much different city. If you know what your looking for it’s still apparent they had a major earthquake. Like the airport terminal is a undersized warehouse since the terminal has been damaged. There are empty lots where there used to be buildings and of course scores of tent cities to house the homeless. But it was in the eyes of the people at the santo ICCM school that I saw the real hope for Haiti. The shock has been replaced with determination to help see this little corner of Haiti heal.
3.5 million people die each year from water-related disease.
84% of water-related deaths are in children ages 0-14.
98% of water-related deaths occur in the developing world.
884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people.
The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.
Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use
An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.
About a third of people without access to an improved water source live on less than $1 a day. More than two thirds of people without an improved water source live on less than $2 a day.
Without food a person can live for weeks, but without water you can expect to live only a few days.
The daily requirement for sanitation, bathing, and cooking needs, as well as for assuring survival, is about 13.2 gallons per person.
More wells are desperately needed, will you please help.
Zook was in Haiti on a two-year mission with the Free Methodist Church where she was staying in the four story Friends of Haiti building that collapsed during the 12 Feb earthquake that devastated Haiti. Kelly Perkins was also in Haiti drilling water wells on a short term mission when the earthquake struck. He and others helped pull Katie from the rubble.
KTBV, Idaho News Channel 7 tells the story of Katie Zook’s rescue.
International Child Care Ministries Director Linda Adams frames challenges for children in post-quake Haiti. ICCM sponsors over 8,900 children and operates 53 schools in Haiti. Relief is the immediate need. Rebuilding is the longer-term challenge. Thanks for your prayers and support both now and in the hopeful days ahead.
For more information about International Child Care Ministries or to sponsor a child please visit ChildCareMinistries.org
As of Feb. 12, a total of $840,613 has been given through the Bishops Famine and Relief Fund, Help Haiti Heal, Operation Hope and International Child Care Ministries for Haiti relief, recovery and development needs.
Dr. Delia Nuesch-Olver, Area Director of Latin America, and Dr. Dale Woods, Director of Mobilization, report what is happening to the Haitian Free Methodist Church just 10 days after being devastated by the earthquake. Check out what they are doing to help and find out the ways you can help your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Katie Zook is one of the lucky ones who got out alive after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. She’s recovering in a Florida hospital and hoping to be back home in Arlington some time soon. It will take time for her body and mind to heal, but her spirit was never broken.
It was a very close call for her. Friends and strangers risked their lives and pulled katie from the wreckage. She was rushed to a hospital at the U.S. embassy in Haiti, then to Guantanamo’s medical clinic, then to Florida – all within 2 days.
“Hello? I see you,” says Katie Zook from her hospital bed near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I reached her by Skype. The 22-year-old is recovering and remembering:
“I remember how dark that dark was when I was trapped,” she says looking off into the distance. “I have never been in dark like that before.”
Exactly two weeks ago, Katie was in Haiti volunteering as a missionary in Port Au Prince when her world crumbled.
“and there was this loud rumble like a jet headed straight for the building,” she remembers, “and then the building started moving.”
She had no idea of the massive devastation around her. Hurt and frantic, her co-worker Jack got out, but Katie did not.
“…and I could hear Jack screaming and every time there was an aftershock I heard everyone in the streets screaming.”
For hours she was one of many trapped under the rubble, curled up in the fetal position in darkness, but then:
“I had enough room around my right arm to grab the bottle and tap it against the table, so Jack could hear the tapping, but when I yelled he couldn’t hear me yelling so I gave up yelling and I just tapped…” she trails off.
The church’s Haitian driver John heard the tapping too, then started praying and digging.
National news coverage has reported what is happening in Haiti as a result of the Jan. 12 earthquake. On a more personal note, Director of Multimedia Andy Yardy has been to Haiti to film the impact of this disaster on the Free Methodist Church. The people are hurting. They are suffering. There is action we can take.
On Tues., Jan. 12, 2010, the FMC lost three missionaries in the earthquake that hit Haiti. Jeanne Acheson- Munos, Gene Dufour and Merle West were doing what they loved, working alongside their brothers and sisters in Haiti. Look at what is happening in Haiti and what we can do to help make their vision for Haiti a reality – Haiti for Christ.
We join with the whole world in grieving this tragic earthquake in Haiti. Our hearts and minds cannot imagine the level of devastation, and we fear the news of the next few days will compound our grief.
