Over 200,000 bodies were picked up today and hauled away in dump trucks to be buried in mass graves.  People are walking the streets in shock because the aftershocks continue to come.  This morning there was another 6.0 aftershock.  Unbelievable when you think you can begin to relax a little.  Many have died of heart attacks and extreme exhaustion.

The rescue crews have not even stepped foot in our area yet.  Dead bodies are stinking.  No food relief has arrived in Carrefour.  Gas shortages have caused prices to increase to over $200 per gallon.  Fear and reports of looting have brought people clutching to each other, sleeping wherever there is an open space that looks somewhat safe.

Over 200 people came to our yard yesterday, looking for water, food, shelter.  We are scrounging for rice and beans to feed them one meal per day.

Reports are coming in from our sister-church in Leogane.  From what we hear, Pastor Milien has lost the 2-storey church building plus 3-storey school building, accommodating 2500 students and his house in Carrefour.  We will learn more of this situation soon.

Today, a friend of ours who went to Haiti many years ago, called.  I had not heard from her for a long time.  Our conversation was one of joy and she knew my need for help in the office… and was sitting at my desk two hours later!  We got so much done.  Judy is committed to help us through this crisis.  She came qualified and we got so much accomplished!  GOD IS GOOD!  She will come again tomorrow morning.  Today we heard from so people we have not heard from in many years.  What a joy to re-connect!

Money is beginning to come in.  You can be assured that we will stretch every dollar that arrives.  We are overwhelmed with how much people love us and our precious Haitian people.

To God be the glory!  No good thing will he withhold to them who walk uprightly!   We are tired, but rejoicing!

Continue to pray for safety, wisdom, direction and peace.  Dispatch the angels!  Terry is flying in today.  He needs to be able to assess the situation and make a plan for restoration among our church members first, then the community.  He must be able to focus.  Pray that he can rest among all the chaos.

Thanks for standing with us…

Attached is the newsletter. This is the latest update, January 15:

Yesterday we made contact!

JP is fine! Doesn’t want to come home. He’s having a good time with 40+ people living in our yard (which could grow to hundreds). Our house is standing but we don’t know how structurally sound it is yet since there are aftershocks every day. Ceiling fans are all down. Basically, everything is on the floor. They go in and out, but sleep in the yard on the ground, in the school bus, in the vans. Our Jeep is not totally demolished but fixable. As of now, we have water and are filtering it for everyone. There are still a few people from the church we have not heard from. Hopefully, today.

Just learned now that one of our young worship leaders, Stephanie, died. She was trapped in her home. Then rescued and taken to a hospital. There was no doctor there! She said she was ok. Now we hear she died, perhaps of internal bleeding.  A beautiful 26-year old, studying to be a doctor. Guess she’s singing and dancing in heaven now. Sad for me. These are my kids!!!

Another lady had three babies and one died, one broke an arm, one a leg. I guess our buildings are a testimony to everyone in our neighborhood since everything that was once so big is now flat.  We may have to tear ours down and start over. We just don’t know yet how sound any building is. The after shocks are happening often yet. Today those staying in our yard will continue to pray over the house and the walls that surround our property and minister to people as they come. They are sleeping on the ground, in the bus and vans, wherever they can get a little sleep. Each time they try to sleep, they are awakened by tremors.

One young man, Rodolpho, worked in the UN Office, a computer man. He had gone to the airport on assignment. Since his job was done there early, he went home. When he arrived home, he learned that the UN building had collapsed. He and one other woman were the only 2 survivors out of about 100 people! He always had difficult times with his co-workers, especially his boss, a Muslim, who came against him for everything he did. This boss would play his music loudly, so Rodolpho put his worship tapes on at his desk. Oh, how this boss hated that! Everything Rodolpho did, he would try to undermine. Today, he is dead while Rodolpho is going on with God. We are hearing so many stories like this.

Janice, a factory supervisor survived while over 800 people are still trapped in the collapsed factory building.

Every moment as our people gather together, we hear stories like this. We are so thankful that we have had the last years with them, warning them of impending danger, putting demands on them to ‘grow up’ because God was about to use them to bring the light of His Gospel to this nation. Little did we know what God was speaking through us… Today, we are at peace because we know they are equipped in the Word, in the Spirit to go where we cannot go. The country is ripe for salvation. Our people are praying with people everywhere and they are giving their lives to Jesus! It’s such a joy to see the Haitians reaching Haitians, our dream fulfilled!

Our staff is really rising to the occasion. It’s amazing how unselfish they have become. The people here are survivors and traditionally, they are very self-centered because of that. We are so blessed to have seen such spiritual growth in them over the past few years. They are banding together like we have never seen. The members of the church now living in our yard are policing our property against looters and praying and singing and encouraging each other. What a family they have become!

Terry is flying in Saturday and will have a medical team at one of the hospitals or our yard to treat people as we dig them out. Our old pick up has become the ambulance going to and from the hospital!

Cary