A Clearer Story

A Clearer Story

I am of course overwhelmed with gratitude that my husband has returned safely to us up here in Canada. The reunion with him was more emotional than could be imagined and many news media were there to witness it, as well as many of our friends and supporters of Haiti ARISE. Thank you to those of you who came! I know it meant a lot to Marc. We have already scheduled meetings for this week and next, working to get mobilized strategic efforts and partnerships with groups, organizations and businesses who are eager to help us get immediate, short and long-term help to Haiti. I don't imagine life slowing down anytime soon, and hoping that baby #4 will just hold on a little while longer before deciding to come! This weekend, which is my due date, we plan to be in Red Deer to speak at two churches.

Hearing Marc's firsthand account of the initial quake and the days following is completely captivating. He is somber and having a hard time being here and not there. But our Haitian leadership team, who are strong and able, urged him to be here with us and to be a spokesman for Haiti ARISE to garner as much help as possible. The situation is beyond what any of us here can fathom. The images, video and reports don't even begin to help us capture the experiences those on the ground are having. As Marc has recounted some of those first moments to some here already, he shared of the fear and terror of it all... here are some of his words from the experience that is still unfolding:
"When the earthquake hit, I had just come downstairs from the technical school. Classes were all going on and I was calling to Mitou, our computer teacher to come help me with something. As he came downstairs too, suddenly there was this huge sound and something like an explosion threw me up into the air. I thought it was a bomb at first and I cried out 'What is this!' I thought I was dead, then I opened my eyes to find I was still alive! Then I tried to run, but the ground and trees rolling rolling and moving, as well as the buildings, back and forth. I fell to the ground and tried to crawl into open space and heard all the students upstairs screaming and falling all over. No one could get out the door cause the shaking was so bad. I yelled 'Get out, everyone get out of there!'
Then I remembered all the missionaries and tried to get to the other building to yell the same thing. Since they had just arrived at the compound, not even 45 minutes before, many of them were showing and ran out of the building naked. We scrambled to get them towels and something to cover them. Everyone was terrified and screaming. Then I thought, this must a tsunami and we need to get to higher ground. I was thinking to climb the mountain, but Julihomme took the missionaries as fast as he could away in the bus to Lifeline Mission. We left so quickly, no one even closed up the building. Everyone was just running! Geanne, our secretary, was thrown across the office and her computer crashed to the floor. We stayed at Lifeline the first night, some sleeping in the bus. Every aftershock was more terrifying, cause no one knew when they would stop or if more buildings were going to collapse. Going into the streets, people were running out of their homes, screaming and crying out to God. At Lifeline, there was a 3 year old boy that was brought in with a crushed leg from a block falling on him.
The missionaries were calling for me to come and pray cause there were no other pastors around. I laid my hands on his little heart and prayed and prayed, but his heart stopped beating. I cannot get the image out of my mind, his leg flattened and his parents standing by utterly helpless and devastated. His little body just could not bear the pain anymore.
"All of the events were just so many to recount. At night the next night another huge tremor hit around midnight. We were sleeping under the tin roof of the church and everyone jumped up and ran out screaming fearful of it collapsing. We decided to sleep in the open field. We could hear all night and each night that followed the rumbling under our pillows before each following tremor. No one could sleep. The tension was just too great. There was a rumor that the tremors would not stop until there was one the same magnitude as the first that had hit Tuesday.
"After two days, our compound was full of people just looking for an open, safe place to stay. Some of our staff risked a lot to go inside the resident building, which I couldn't believe is still standing with no damage! They got the propane stove, pots and pans out to set up a cooking station near the well by the church. Our other well that fed water to the building was not accessible, since the water tower fell flat to the ground. We made food and fed the missionaries and all those seeking refuge at our place each day. There has been a steady flow of people coming for water too, as in our area we have the only source of water- Thank God two of our three wells, one by the church & one on the goat farm, were functioning. We also had lots of gas left from the leader's conference that finished just days before to keep the generator going to pump water.
"This is an experience I will never forget and never want to go through again. I am still in a lot of shock. I can't get the images of Port Au Prince out of my mind, all the bodies. Rebuilding Haiti is going to take a very long time. But you know, I have hope. I know my people. Haiti has suffered so much for so many years, we are a resilient people and we WILL rise again, a better Haiti, a more beautiful Haiti, one that will give God praise. I had a conversation with a voodoo priest, who told me that he had lost everything. I invtied him to the compound and told him, 'Well, I think it is about time you reconsider who you are serving.' He shook his head and agreed with me. God is going to revive Haiti.
"I am back in Canada now, but only for a time, to raise more awareness, strategize and get back as soon as possible. The people need so much. No aid is getting through to towns like Grand-Goave. We did not see any outside aid come in the whole time. Thank God we are there to help, as well as Lifeline Mission. We are doing all we can to help the immediate need of food and water. But the people need shelter. The rainy season will be coming very soon and we have got to get people into places of shelter!"

We are truly grateful and moved beyond words for all of the support and prayers, calls and emails that have come in from friends, supporters and strangers all over the world. Thank you for helping! Haiti is going to need it for a long time and we pray you would consider partnering with us long-term. The Haitian people are well worth investing in, a beautiful, treasured people by God and though it is so hard to understand why such a disaster would strike, we know that God has greater plans in store for His beloved island. The first black republic in the world, called to be a leader among the nations, once the Pearl of the Caribbean, will be so again!
-1/20/10