Jan 12, 2010 at about 5 PM a magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the World. The quake destroyed countless buildings including the Presidential Palace, UN headquarters, the National Cathedral, and the main jail. It is now estimated over 500,000 people were killed or injured and over 1,000,000 made homeless. The true death toll will never be known as there are many who disappeared in piles of rubble and the mass graves used to bury the dead.
I had been busy preparing my 12th mission to Panama Feb. 20 - 28th, to build a couple of homes in a remote Indian village with 11 other men from SonLight Community Church. We saw the devastation and yearned to go help in any way, but had no connections, no game plan, and really no business going right away. We had a wonderful trip to Panama but I remained troubled by the desperate needs and God's calling on my heart.
When we touched down in the States I checked my voice mail and had a message from my dear friend, pastor Dan, who invited me to go to Haiti, just 4 1/2 weeks later. The mission was to go to Damou Christian Mission where we would encourage the missionary, Miss Tina, and gather information about local needs and any opportunities for help. My role would be Team Doctor with the possibility to treat some of the sick and injured as needed.
By April 3rd, we had boots on the ground in Haiti. What we saw was complete devastation. Rubble, dirt, trash, and need everywhere. There was a great hustle and bustle of towns still packed with people, doing who knows what. People surviving in any way possible. Countless thousands living in tents on porches, in yards, in highway medians, road sides, and great tent cities. People rushing around in taxis, buses, and "Tap Taps" which are the motorcycle taxis rushing in and out everywhere. People rummaging through trash, bathing on the street, and washing their clothes at public water spouts.
We met 13 some kids orphaned or displaced by the earthquake - families dead or unable to care for them, now getting shelter, food, and love at the home of the missionary. We visited the tent city where 6 - 7,000 people were thought to live, packed like sardines in a muddy soccer field, with nothing to do for work, little security, unstable food and water, and a looming health crisis with the start of rainy season.
We heard about the spiritual oppression of Voo Doo with 80 % of the people practicing Voo Doo. Paralyzed by fear, lacking freedom in Christ and oppressed by the forces of darkness. We heard of the challenge of survival in a society that doesn't provide education to it's citizens. How does one afford school when you can't afford food? How does a mother choose between food and school every day?
We saw church members praising their risen savior on Easter Sunday, then visited them in their devastated homes up in the hills later in the week. Home after home, needing repair or replacement, unsafe to live in. We spoke to the English teacher whose two room home could collapse at any time with his family inside.
We saw children with malaria, Typhoid Fever, malnutrition, lice, and scabies. Children struggling to live in a dark, barren place.
We saw many encouraging things. Miss Tina welcoming kid after kid into her home for love, food, shelter, and to know Christ. The residents of the tent city organizing in order to lead and provide for themselves. Pastor Gerrard and Roro using their language skills, connections, and church buildings to provide makeshift hospitals, medical translation, and pastoral care to numerous people. We rejoiced that they had seen more conversions after the quake than ever before. We helped lay the foundation for the foster home, toured the assisted living facility, and visited the shut ins. We purchased over 1100 pounds of rice, soap, and beans for distribution to the needy in the church and school. We also met many of the people who live in the 46+ homes Tina hopes to repair or replace with God's good grace in the coming months and years.
We left blessed with the opportunity to be a part of God's plan for Haiti. We left with new friends and family in God's kingdom and a new burden to join the work in Haiti. We are overwhelmed by the need but know our God is big enough to meet all of our needs.
