Latest Haiti Relief Update

We recently received this e-mail from World Relief on the latest situation in Haiti. Please read on below . . .

+ Congestion in and out of the Port-au-Prince airport is still significant, though down to 80-90 flights per day from a peak of 150 in the days following the quake.

+ A man was rescued from the rubble 27 days after the earthquake. 

+ Experts are reporting that original estimates of more than 200,000 killed is accurate -- putting the death toll at nearly 230,000.

+ More than 300,000 people were injured by the earthquake. Still, around 10% of new cases in the hospitals are reported to be trauma-related injuries.  King’s hospital is continuing to serve those needs.

+ 1.2 million people are displaced. More than 460,000 have left Port-au-Prince for rural areas since the quake. Food assistance is needed even in places largely untouched by the quake because of their growing populations.

+ By last Friday, World Relief had dug four wells. Two more should be drilled this week. Each serves as a water point for local communities -- serving on average 500 people with long-term water supplies.

+ Last week, we also distributed 80,000 gallons of water to vulnerable families, serving about 16,000 households with water. Read more about World Relief’s water distributions here.

+ World Relief distributed our remaining food stock we had to 28 churches, providing 19,500 meals. We have transitioned much of our food distribution activity for the next couple of weeks, ensuring the churches we have been working with are receiving food through larger World Food Program distribution mechanisms. Plans for future food distributions will be determined in the coming weeks. Read more on food distributions by the church in Haiti here.

+ Dr. Hubert Morquette has delayed his retirement until the end of February in order to ease the transition for a new country director. Dr. Morquette will begin full-time work as a physician and teacher at King’s Hospital in March.

+ World Relief is distributing water and tarps in Cite Soleil, one of the worst slum areas in Port-au-Prince. Read more in Joanna Mayhew’s blog.

+ Stephan Bauman partnered with Steve Moore at Mission Exchange to provide an update on how the church is responding in Haiti.  Click here to listen and watch the webinar.

posted on 2/10/10
   

Update from Haiti Disaster Relief Project

We recently received this e-mail from World Relief on some personal stories of the relief efforts (by Craig Pixley of World Relief) . . .

"I continue to hear stories daily of the ways God is working in and through His Church in Haiti. 27-year-old Pénel -- a member of the local Assemblies of God Church -- is one of numerous volunteers ensuring vulnerable families have access to the water provided by their churches and World Relief.

"Pénel explains that his church -- like many other churches -- was destroyed in the quake. The congregation now gathers outside the church or in the camp to pray and worship together.

"In Pénel's camp and in sprawling neighbor camps, about 700 members of his church have set up makeshift shelters built out of tarps, faded sheets, sticks, and scrap corrugated metal.  Every day is a struggle to find enough food and water.

"Even before the quake, the majority of Haitians did not have access to clean water. The earthquake has devastated the already weak infrastructure."

"This water is life to us," Penel says. "We share water and food. As a Christian, I am ready to help others in any way I can."

"World Relief and Haitian church partners have distributed more than 64,000 gallons of water -- 20 truckloads -- to 12,000 vulnerable families in the last week.

"World Relief is also investing for the long-term, drilling boreholes and installing submersible pumps to ensure sustainable access to waters in six communities in Port-au-Prince."

"This will make a very big difference," says Pastor Pierre Alexis, head of an orphanage that will be home to a new borehole. "We are planning to invite people from the community to come and get water here.  It is important to show people the real Jesus -- the One who cares not only for their body, but also for their soul.  If you follow Jesus, you must show it through your actions, not just say it."

"Thank you for being a part of showing people the real Jesus. Thank you for being the Church."

Click here to see the text of President Obama's speech from today's National Prayer Breakfast, where he highlighted World Relief (and other organizations) as a significant responder to the Haiti crisis.

posted on 2/4/10
  

Latest Haiti Disaster Relief Update

Thank you, Emmanuel Faith Church family, for giving another $15,600 this past week to Haiti Disaster Relief! This amount was forwarded this past week to World Relief. And weren't those two great stories, of people being pulled from the rubble 14 and 15 days later? God is indeed amazing!

Here's some recent praises and prayers shared recently by World Relief:

Praise the Lord . . .

+ That aid is getting through to many of Port-au-Prince's people. Continue to pray for open supply lines and that the needs of the people are met.

+ For the outpouring of love and support from the Global church. A local Burmese congregation in High Point, North Carolina, made up of refugees recently resettled by World Relief, took up an offering Sunday for World Relief's efforts in Haiti. Totally unsolicited, this refugee congregation, struggling to meet their own financial obligations, raised $574.75!

+ For Haitian churches rising up to serve their neighbors and communities. In the coming weeks, World Relief will continue to expand the number of churches and networks we are serving.

+ Praise the Lord for provision of a food supply through the World Food Program. Continue to pray that churches would be equipped with rice and beans to feed their people.

Prayer Requests . . .

+ Pray for staff as they travel in and around Haiti as well as in and out of the country. Pray for the Lord's protection and for efficient travels so they can accomplish their goals.

+ Aftershocks continue to impact Port-au-Prince, leaving people afraid to go into buildings. Pray for protection and safety for people as well as freedom from fear.

+ Pray for strength and perseverance the emergency response workers, deployed from around the world, as they are working long hours in very difficult conditions. 

+ Many children have been separated from their families or lost their parents in the earthquake. Pray children with living parents would be reunited with them. Pray vulnerable children would be protected from abuse or exploitation.

+ Continue to pray for World Relief's 40 Haitian staff—many of whom have lost children, grandchildren and parents. Pray for comfort for them and the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who have lost loved ones in the earthquake.

+ Churches in Haiti are serving as places of refuge -- meeting physical, spiritual and emotional needs. Pray for their pastors and leaders as they minister. Pray that the global church would continue to support Haiti’s people.

+ Pray for people suffering the emotional and psychological impact the earthquake, the destruction and loss of life. Pray for peace and comfort for those who survived the earthquake as well as those who came to Haiti shortly after to respond. Pray for dedicated trauma counselors to serve a hurting population.

posted on 1/21/10
 

Haiti Disaster Relief - Latest Update

Thank you, Emmanuel Faith Church family, for giving $15,698 since the Haiti earthquake occurred on January 12 ($12,000 of which was given this past weekend at church). These funds will be sent to World Relief this week. This is in addition to the $5,000 sent out last week from the existing Disaster Relief Fund. Over $20,600 has been given to date!

For a quick look at the work of World Relief, click here to view a short video.

Click here for a new report from World Relief. For more information on EFCC's disaster relief plans, please read on below.

Here's a World Relief update from this past week in Haiti:

+ The World Relief team was in Leogan yesterday, assessing the situation and building on existing church relationships, with plans to expand response efforts into the area soon.

+ One church in Carrefour has become a spontaneous IDP (internally displaced persons) camp. The pastor, Jean Bathard Anthony, a World Relief partner, had begun feeding and serving the community inside even with very limited resources. World Relief has come alongside them and offered them food and water to continue to serve both their congregation and the surrounding community -- nearly 6,000 people in all.

+ We have expanded our feeding program to serve 8,700 people hot meals two times a day in four churches. We will expand further to reach 9,500 over the weekend.

+ More than 40 aftershocks, including on with a 5.9 magnitude yesterday, have occurred since the quake. This aftershock caused many to flee their homes and even the city of Port-au-Prince. Experts say these are likely to continue for weeks. Pray that people living in fear and still sleeping outside would find peace.

+ Thanks to various relationships, we have been able to get supplies, including medical supplies, fuel and food when other pipelines are jammed. Praise the Lord for our partnership with Medical Teams International and connections in the Dominican Republic.

+ Stephan Bauman (World Relief VP for Programs, on the ground in Haiti since last week) expressed that he felt the response had turned a corner in the past 24 hours, gaining more traction and coordination. Continue to pray for those who are not being reached by aid yet, that food, water and shelter would soon be available to everyone.

+ "Thank you on behalf of Hubert Morquette (our country director), the staff and the people of Haiti. For so many people, standing with the Haitians at this hour really is a picture of Christ standing with and coming to dwell among us. We are grateful to be partners with you all. We are aware of every dollar coming in and we are working hard to spend these dollars effectively though urgently to meet the needs of Haiti's people."

updated on 1/21/10
 

Haiti Disaster Relief - What You Can Do to Help!

In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti this past Tuesday, January 12, our church staff wants you to be informed about EFCC's plans to get involved with the relief efforts.

Please pray and ask the Lord how He might have you resopond in this crisis. For now, here's our current plans as they have been drawn up: 

Haiti Disaster Relief Plans

Once again, EFCC will partner with World Relief (www.worldrelief.org) and forward all cash contributions to them for their disaster relief efforts in Haiti. World Relief is an established and highly credible Christian relief and development organization that has been working alongside the local church in Haiti for many years.

An initial check of $5,000 from the EFCC Disaster Relief Fund was forwarded to World Relief last week! More aid will follow as donations come in.

What YOU Can Do!

EFCC church family members are encouraged to either give online or via the regular offering during this weekend's worship services. We will not be taking a special offering for Haiti at this time. All contributions should be marked "Disaster Relief" or "Disaster Relief – Haiti" either on their checks or giving envelopes. All funds will be forwarded to World Relief.

CLICK HERE to go to the EFCC online giving page now! You can also pray. See the prayer list below.

Future Response - More Info to Come 

At this time EFCC is not recruiting volunteers to go to Haiti. The immediate need there is for skilled personnel in professional and technical fields. Nor are we collecting items such as food, medicines, water, etc. Our greatest contribution in this initial phase is to give money and to pray. As the situation stabilizes and the needs shift to recovery and development, EFCC will explore and share opportunities for volunteers to serve in Haiti.

If you would like to be in prayer for Haiti and its people, support workers, etc., please consider the following list:

Haiti Relief Prayer Points

+ Pray for the loss of life to be minimized, as the search efforts continue, and as basic needs for food and water (shelter) are striving to be met.

+ Pray for needed materials and supplies to arrive and be distributed in a timely manner to those in need.

+ Pray for the effective coordination of efforts between the many relief and disaster agencies seeking to bring aid to people.

+ Pray for patience and grace (as much as possible) for the masses of people urgently awaiting aid (which they may not see movement on yet in their areas), and not to riot or cause additional problems and unnecessary loss of life because of frustrations with the state of things.

+ Pray for the Haitian church that will struggle in the coming days to meet the demands for spiritual and other forms of ministry to people in their communities.

+ Pray for God to bring peace and comfort to those who are suffering and grieving.

+ Pray for God to open the hearts of people to Him, that people will turn to God in repentance and faith.

Thank you Emmanuel Church Family!

posted on 1/15/10