Latest from George in Haiti - Saturday, 1/23/10 - 3:50 PM

23. January 2010 by admin.

Saturday, 1/23/10 (3:00 PM)

Another day in which we have so very much to be thankful for AND so very much to be in prayer about.  Here’s what I know –

Around 7:15 this morning George was able to get a call through to me.  They had a good nights rest and were in their room at OMS around 6:45 when the building began to shake, yes another aftershock.  They immediately went outside and things were OK.  OMS is using the water from the pool to somehow be used for showers.  They are not able to serve meals so Jim and George dined last night on MRE’s that MFI had available before they left Fort Pierce.  George and Jim stocked up on protein bars before leaving so they have them for food.  Since the wall surrounding OMS crumbled, Wikny bought roofing tin and installed it into a make-shift security wall.  George said the rooms appear to be full with Haitians and an aid team who he believes are from Mexico.  Thankfully Wikny had a room for George and Jim.

George said there seems to be such desperation in the people as they try to rebuild their lives.  He said that as they drove thru PAP to Carrefour yesterday they’d go by buildings that were still standing and then right beside there would be nothing but ruins from buildings that collapsed.  Some buildings still stood but they could see right inside because some of the walls were gone.

The plan for today was for Pastor Beril to pick them up and go to Grace Center to see how things were there and in the process see much more of the devastation in Carrefour and PAP.

George called again at 9:00 AM while they were meeting with Pastor Beril.  This is extremely important…..Pastor Beril said to please NOT send food to him (beans, rice, etc).  He said it would be so much better for people wanting to help with this to send money which we will get to him.  He has sources and can buy it there and have it much quicker and cheaper than what it costs Grace Mission to ship the food that is sent here to us in FL.  Other things that are needed – Tents (dome and cabin style), awnings (the pop-up kind used at trade shows), Examination tables for people to lay on when being examined (I suggested portable massage tables I’ve seen at Costco and Sams because they fold and are portable….what do you medical people who read this think….would that work?), clothes (PLEASE be careful what you send….nothing stained or torn and remember this is Haiti so warm climate clothing is needed), and medical supplies.  I am attaching a detailed supply list we got from CSI and was approved by Dr Martsolf on our board.  If any of you reading this on Facebook, the Grace Mission to Haiti website or Grace Mission blog want the list, please send me you e-mail address and I’ll get it to you.

For our friends at Pine Grove in Bowmansville, the Christmas boxes arrived and Pastor Beril had planned to take them out to Doriol this week but, of course, that won’t happen.

At 12:45 PM George called from Grace Center.  In an earlier e-mail I had shared information I’d been give that one of the balconies had sheared off but PTL that was incorrect.  George said there are cracks in some of the interior walls but it seems sound.  We will need to get an engineer in to check its structural integrity but it looks good and the wall surrounding the compound still stands even though there are other buildings in the area that have collapsed.

George said Grace Center looks amazing.  Since he was there last all the tile has been laid on the floors, bars and glass in the windows, railing around the balcony, plumbing in and waiting for the fixtures and he said the classroom is beautiful.  I can’t help but think that God KNOWS this center is to be used for His glory and preserved it.  To God be ALL the glory.

This is what he found out about our pastors and ministries.  This is not a complete list but what is known right now.

·       NO loss of life of any of our pastors! 

·       Riviere Froid church/school and Bertin Clinic are OK

·       GODE church/school is destroyed as was the house that we have stayed in during our visits there. (Many of you may remember that Gode is up in the mountains and the only way in is to walk or ride the ‘horses’ in….oh how I LOVE those rides!!!  But all worth it when we get there and see our children and adults who go to school and worship there)

·       Churches that have been destroyed – Cote de Fer, LaVal, Bereau, Gode, and Montoban

·       Churches that have damage – Carrefour, Flon, Bois Pin

·       A number of churches are OK but the pastors homes have been destroyed

·       LOTS of damage at the Carrefour school and Bible Institute.  Pastor Beril said they will probably NOT be able to use it.

The 22 pallets from SC are scheduled to arrive on Monday.  Pastor Beril, George and Jim met with a group of ministers from the Carrefour area, this morning.  They have a secure location in Carrefour to take the pallets and to distribute from.  This is a real answer to prayer.  Originally they talked about taking everything to Grace Center to store and then take it to Carrefour but Grace Center is in a different ‘district’ than Carrefour so there could have been problems getting it all the way through PAP and to Carrefour. 

I do apologize for how long this is but I wanted to give you all the news I had so you are up to date.

Keep PRAYING……

Posted in Earthquake | Print | No Comments »