Archived News Story
CIU Alumni Responding to Haiti Earthquake
published 2010 Feb 01
By Emily Hall
Though the shock of the Haiti’s devastating earthquake may have faded from our newspapers’ headlines, for hundreds of thousands of displaced people daily survival continues to be a struggle. In search of food and shelter, many of these Haitians have fled the capital Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes, a city 90 miles south of Port-au-Prince that was unaffected by the earthquake. There are many CIU alumni responding to the needs of the Haitians. As you read about some of them below, please pray for them and their families.
Dan Shoemaker (‘80) served 25 years in Haiti before becoming president of Reciprocal Ministries International (www.rminet.org ). He flew to RMI’s headquarters in Les Cayes to coordinate RMI’s relief efforts.“Since the earthquake we have wondered how we could help,” Shoemaker said. “But this wave of refugees brings the needy right to our doorstep! We are excited to see God supplying Haiti’s needs through so many different avenues.”
Shoemaker gave an eyewitness account of the refugees:
“They are leaving with just the clothes on their backs and maybe a few personal items in a bundle on their head, some carrying their injured or even dead family members. Many communities will find themselves doubling or tripling their population almost overnight. Some have housing with family and friends. Those without family or friends are setting up camp on church and school grounds. Soccer fields and other parcels of flat land are now a sea of tents. Since fuel is gone, [the refugees] are piling four [people] on motorcycle taxis or walking. Food is already scarce in the Les Cayes area. The sick and injured have overwhelmed the one government hospital, two mission hospitals and the one Haitian doctor (in private practice) in Les Cayes. The medical supplies that are being flown in from the Bahamas are going to these four places and being used up in just two days.”
Shoemaker also visited the Les Cayes government hospital:
“After meeting with the medical director, we toured the hospital. Wow, what misery and suffering. So many have lost limbs to infection due to no medical help. They finally were able to make their way to Les Cayes, but for many it was too late to save the limb.”
RMI’s immediate plans include spiritual encouragement, distribution of medical relief, food, and short-term medical teams to serve the refugees. Then they plan to rebuild partnering churches.
“In all of these kinds of tragedies, the big need is going to be in a month,” Shoemaker said. “You get the initial two to three week push and then people forget and move on. But the need is still there.”
Please pray for:
· Unity and guidance for RMI leaders
· Strength and calm in the midst of stress
· Pastors who are grieving the loss of their children
· Open roads to Les Cayes for supplies, especially gas
Steve McGee (’92) is president of Ministries in Action (MIA). MIA is shipping items to its medical missionaries who are in Haiti and is providing housing for medical teams in Port-au-Prince. In the future, MIA will rebuild churches and schools through its Project Ebenezer and Homes for the Homeless ministries.
Bresile St. Germain (’88 and Alumni of the Year 1995) is Haitian Director of MIA. He has been contacting Haitian pastors and churches with whom MIA has established a working relationship in the past. On Feb. 5 he plans to fly to Haiti to meet with these pastors.
Prayer Requests:
· An MIA worker who had a family member killed in the earthquake
· That God will give MIA wisdom, courage, and financial resources
· That MIA supplies and teams will get into Port-au-Prince
· Protection for those distributing supplies
.jpg "After the quake, Christensen's ministry quickly changed from Bible professor to truck driver, hauling food and medical supplies.")
Sean Christensen, (’98) serves with World Team (www.worldteam.org ) and teaches at the Institut Biblique Lumiere (Bible Institute of Light), in Les Cayes. The college has been closed since the earthquake, but he and his family have found other ways to serve. Their satellite Internet phone is being used for international communication and their truck has transported medical supplies, patients, and nurses. They are working in cooperation with local churches to expedite distribution of supplies among the refugees in Les Cayes. Sean recently had an opportunity to pray with a refugee name Sony, after a significant discussion about the Lord.Prayer Requests:
· To be led by the Spirit each day so we fill the exact niche the Lord has for us
· For discernment in who to help and how to help with so many needs around us
· For the Lord's plan to be realized for His church in Haiti and His designs for this country
· For spiritual refreshing and general health for our family and our relationships
Christensen said, “In the midst of such dark news we have the deep-seated joy of knowing that, in God’s economy, we’ve frequently been privileged to see the beauty of Christ and His agenda emerge from the rubble of disaster. We see evidences of God’s hand of mercy in this situation. No doubt, God is at work and cares for those who are in need and grieving.”
Thank you for your prayers for these and other alumni who are serving in Haiti.
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