1. ALL STAFF ACCOUNTED FOR. Let us give thanks to the Lord for the preservation of our staff. First off, we actually have 26 staff in Haiti. All of them are alive; only one has minor injuries to his legs. Amazing. Most of the staff have lost their homes entirely -- or in part. Most staff have lost loved ones and friends. They are grieving, even as they are serving to rescue and help others.
2. ARRIVAL OF ADDITIONAL STAFF. Internationally and U.S.-based Food for the Hungry staff have arrived in Port au Prince thru a variety of means, via land from the Dominican Republic, via chartered aircraft and two staff members even arrived by hitching a ride on the coast guard aircraft that transported Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the scene.
3. AT WORK. We continue to distribute needed supplies such as water filtration/purification systems, tarps for temporary shelter, water purification tablets, solar-powered flashlights, kitchen kits for cooking of food, etc. We are working hand-in glove as partners with an alliance of relief organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and International Medical Teams.
4. VOICES FROM PORT AU PRINCE. Here is a note from our relief director, Sara. She writes, "My first morning in Port Au Prince I woke up to the sounds of worship….I couldn’t see their faces, but I could hear their voices, joined in unison to worship and bless the One who offered hope and strength in the midst of devastation and tragedy. “Onward Christian soldiers” they sung….I couldn’t tell if they were singing in English or Creole but the tune was clear…. “with the cross of Jesus going on before.” The congregation was reminding themselves and the rest of us who could hear their hopeful song that the battle was the Lord’s and not ours to bring restoration to a land devastated by a horrifying earthquake. One can’t help but be overwhelmed by all that is seen and heard in Port Au Prince. The collapsed buildings…the people crowding the streets, their faces covered in masks to block the dust and stench of decaying bodies buried under the rubble…people camping outside even if there homes are still in tact, afraid of another deadly tremor striking…the stories of lost loved ones…relief efforts hampered by poor road access and shortage of fuel…It is easy to focus on the devastation and all the failures of relief efforts in Haiti, and yet, there is restoration that is already taking place. Even before the first relief responder set foot in Port Au Prince, the Haitian people themselves were in action, digging out family members, neighbors and friends buried under the rubble and bringing comfort to each other in their time of loss…roads have begun to open up and much needed medical care and aid is starting to reach communities hardest hit by the earthquake…people are still being rescued alive from under the rubble…some merchants have resumed selling their wares on the streets and small markets are opening up, returning some semblance of normalcy…The Haitian congregation reminded me my first morning in Port Au Prince that the battle is the Lords and not ours. “With the cross of Jesus going on before,” there is certainly hope and restoration for a devastated land."
5. AUDIO: You can listen to a brief update (less than one minute) from Sara here: http://chir.ps/2XN
Grateful that you are there
Benjamin K. Homan,
President
Food for the Hungry, Inc. / www.fh.org
God called and we responded until physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.
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