This is a day of updates!
Haiti was awakened with another earthquake this morning at 6. The 6.1 quake toppled many structures that had been severely damaged a week ago. This one was centered about half way between Cayes and Port...closer to Cayes than last week's quake. It would have been felt at several sister churches. Pray that the earth would quit moving & shifting!
Dan has arrived in Cayes! He was able to go in via the Bahamas and Bahamas Methodist Habitat who are flying small 4 & 6 seater planes into Cayes with medical relief supplies. He is there to assess the situation, meet with our missionaries & Haitian staff and help them organize for the massive relief aid that will be coming in.
The reports are that there is a crush of refugees flooding the southern peninsula. Since fuel is gone, they are piling 4 on motorcycle taxis or walking. Many are people that are going back to their hometowns, but there are also many that just had to get away from the capital. School has been cancelled in the country. Many churches are using their school buildings to house refugees. Soccer fields and many empty flat pieces of land are becoming tent cities. Food is already scarce in the Cayes area. The sick and injured have overwhelmed the one government hospital, 2 mission hospitals and the one Haitian doctor (in private practice) in Cayes. The medical supplies that are being flown in from the Bahamas are going to these 4 places and being used up in just 2 days.
MEBSH is reporting that none of it’s pastors were killed, however, a number of them have lost children who were studying in Port-au-Prince. It is safe to say that every person in the country has lost a family member or friend in this disaster.
We are excited to see the response of God’s people. One US Sister Church has given over $30,000! We’ve had calls from all over the country, from Canada and Jamaica expressing care and concern for RMI, their Sister Churches and Haiti. We’ve already been given 100 lbs. of medical and surgical supplies and Dan took that with him to Haiti today. Another huge load of medical supplies is on its way here in a U-Haul truck from Arkansas! Wow, we are overwhelmed at what has been happening.
We have gotten some medical volunteers, but not enough to form a team yet. Do you know of anyone who would be interested? Spread the word!!!
Also, check out the latest article from the Ft. Myers NewsPress that was just posted! It's great to get RMI's name some public exposure locally. Pray that God will use it to bring in more funds. You can read it here.
Former President Bush said it best the other day, “Just give money, that’s the best thing, that’s what is needed.” I’m glad he just came out and said it. He’s right. Relief aid can’t happen without money. Please pray that God will continue to work in people’s hearts and the funds will come in so we can meet these enormous needs.
