Sorting food

Sorting food

Handing out bags of food

Yesterday we went on a relief mission to Port au Prince. We were accompanied by two vehicles, including a van, and ten people from our main church in Les Cayes. Our mission was to distribute food and much needed supplies such as rice, beans, bread, matches, candles, water, spaghetti, clothes, shoes. What you have seen on TV is not even a third of the destruction in Port au Prince. Everything is completely destroyed. Rich as well as poor people are dead. Big buildings with two, three and four stories high have completely collapsed with damaged cars peeking through the rubble. Everything is disorganized and nonexistent – no medicine, no government, no police. Stores are looted as a result of people searching for food. Everything is turned upside down in Port au Prince. And how long will it be like this? Nobody knows.

When we arrived in Port au Prince, our first stop was at our Bethanie church. This particular church doesn’t have a church building. The growing membership of 250 has been meeting in a house. The house is still standing but has suffered some structural damage such as cracks throughout the building. In fact, when the earthquake hit, the pastor had a wall fall on him and his leg is broken. The day after the earthquake, we sent our driver to pick him up, along with his family, and he is currently receiving care in a hospital in Les Cayes.

We were able to give our church members some of these supplies before we head out to other areas in Port-au-Prince. After helping out the people from our church, we went to seven refugee camps. We distributed everything we had brought with us.

Everybody in Port au Prince is sleeping on the street. They are afraid to step inside a building. We noticed that they blocked the street and allowed some minimal space only for cars to go through. They cook on the street, wash themselves on the street with the use of sheets for some shade and privacy.

They are waiting for us to come back. We would like to return next week and bring more supplies such as food, clothes, water, and everything that would be beneficial and helpful. In order to bring a bigger bus to Port-au-Prince like we’re planning on doing, we’ll have get gas. Gas is expensive and you can’t even find it in Les Cayes. When you do find it in the black market, it costs about $30US. I will be sending Jean- Marie to Miragoane to buy some in hope to continue the effort that we’re doing. Tomorrow morning in our Sunday service, we will be asking our congregation to help by having them bring shoes, clothes, and everything else to help.

We want to thank everyone who is praying and giving to help the needy in Haiti. God bless each of you.
 

Handing out food in Port au Prince

Handing out food in Port au Prince

Handing out food from the van