Assessment Team To Haiti

MONTESANO, WA – February 18, 2010 – Haiti ARISE Ministries (HAM) announced today that an Earthquake Disaster Assessment Team departs for Haiti this Sunday. The team is comprised of experts in various fields who will assess the ministry campus, as well as the surrounding community, to formulate a detailed plan for disaster response and rebuilding. Haiti ARISE is a non-profit humanitarian organization, which operates primarily in Grand Goave, to the southwest of Port-au-Prince, near the epicenter of the January 12^th 7.3 magnitude quake.

Marc Honorat, a former child slave, who founded the organization with his wife Lisa in 2001, returned to Haiti last week in anticipation of the assessment team visit. Mr. Honorat was evacuated from Haiti with a visiting mission team shortly after the earthquake. “Marc was anxious to return to help our staff there,” stated Mrs. Honorat. “They have been working hard to distribute food, water and shelter but there is so much work yet to be done. The rainy season begins this month and nearly 80% of our community is displaced. Our goal is to produce a comprehensive assessment report to guide us as we move forward. Since the earthquake we have had innumerable offers of help and we feel that this assessment is essential to best utilize the volunteer power and resources.”

Haiti ARISE outlined the expected outcome of the assessment as follows:

Assess situation on the ground; determine access to supplies; determine safety and logistics for volunteers

• Determine the project scope; ability to deliver based on resources; prepare priorities and budgets.
• Assess suitability of buildings for repairs, demolition and new construction.
• Assess quality and delivery of water systems.
• Assess the immediate medical needs and feasibility of a medical facility.
• Assess communication and IT needs.
• Provide report and recommendations to Haiti ARISE.

The Assessment Team is comprised of the following individuals as experts in their fields:

• Team Leader: James Roberts, Haiti Arise Vice President (Calgary, AB)
• Logistics Manager: Steve Johnson, Hungry for Life (Chilliwack, BC)
• Electrician: Keith Blain (Red Deer, AB)
• Medical Doctor: Bob Cutler (Cranbrook, BC)
• Concrete Specialist and Contractor: Eldon Ortleib (Surrey, BC)
• IT Tech/ Communications: Jack Funk (Montesano, WA)
• Project Manager: Trevor Jacobi, Hungry for Life (Chilliwack, BC)
• Hungry for Life: Gerald Stinson, (Chilliwack, BC)
• Better World Director: Eric Rajah-Already on the ground in Haiti ( Lacombe, AB)
• Water & Construction technician: Gord Gilchrist, ABW Project Manager - Already on the ground in Haiti.(Olds, AB)
• Structural engineer: Pat Romerman, Rotary Club President (Red Deer, AB)
• A Better World: Ron Sydenham, Chairman (Lacombe)

“We believe that Haiti ARISE will continue to make a tremendous impact, not only in the Grand-Goave area where our Technical College is based, but also across the country of Haiti,” stressed Mrs. Honorat. “This team is comprised of a partnership between Haiti ARISE, Hungry for Life and A Better World, all working together to affect positive change in the nation.”

Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Of the 9 million inhabitants, over 4 million are considered malnourished. Over half the adult population is illiterate and 80% of the population is unemployed. These statistics are exacerbated by impacts of inflation and the recent disaster.

The US office of Haiti ARISE Ministries is located in Montesano, Washington. The Canadian office is located in Calgary , AB. To contribute to these efforts or for more information please contact: 360-589-7377 (US) or 403-272-6493 (Canada).Donations may be made directly to: Haiti ARISE Ministries, PO Box 609 Montesano, WA 98563 (US) or PO Box 85267, Albert Park PO, Calgary AB T2A7R7 (Canada) or through the website: www.haitiarise.org.

Urban Thrift To Host 2nd Haiti Fundraiser- February 6, 2010

On Saturday, January 16, Urban Thrift raised nearly $6,000 for Haiti Arise Ministries -- an amount that will be doubled after the organization qualified for the federal government's pledge to match individual Canadian donations up to $50 million. Thrift store owner Elisa Humphreys says the fundraiser was a type of therapy for everyone involved.

"It's hard to deal with these kinds of horrific global events," said Humphreys. "People are just coming and shopping here today knowing that 100 per cent of proceeds of today's sales are going to Haiti Arise Ministries -- it's a way for us all to feel better."

Urban Thrift plans to hold a second fundraising event for Haiti ARISE this coming Saturday, February 6th. "After the success of the last Haiti Day, we wanted to make a commitment to hold one at least once a month for the next while to help Haiti in the Disaster Relief efforts." said Humphreys. All sales will go toward Haiti ARISE's Disaster Relief efforts in Haiti as the store plans to work long-term with the organization to offer whatever aid possible to the disaster ravaged country.

HAITI ARISE Boards Meet to Plan Earthquake Disaster Response

CALGARY, ALBERTA- February, 2, 2010- Haiti ARISE Ministries (HAM) has announced an Earthquake Disaster Response Plan developed during a two-day meeting in Calgary, Alberta between the United States and Canadian boards of the non-profit humanitarian organization. (Click on the link above to see a more detailed overview of the plan)

Darrell Damron and James Roberts, Vice-Presidents of the HAM Board of Directors, announced that HAM is responding to the earthquake disaster immediately by providing water, food, temporary shelter, emergency medical care, counseling services, and security. HAM will also send a team to Grand-Goave to assess the water quality in the wells, sanitation needs, building safety, medical needs, logistical capabilities, telecommunications and computer capabilities. The assessment team will be comprised of volunteer specialists who will compile recommendations to guide HAM’s disaster response and re-building efforts. Wherever possible, HAM intends to partner with other organizations to provide relief without duplicating efforts.

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Pastor Marc Honorat, founder of the organization, reported that another humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s Purse, has already partnered with the ministry and is currently operating from the HAM campus in Grand-Goave. Mr. Honorat spoke emotionally regarding his terrifying experience during the earthquake and of the heartbreaking encounters he had following the disaster.

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“The night after the earthquake, a six year old boy wandered up to us crying. When we asked him where his parents were, all he could say was that they we gone…they were dead. We need to help all these children whose parents have been killed in the earthquake.” He added that plans for a children’s home village with family modeled residences had been scheduled for construction in 2015. “Now we ask ourselves, ‘Can we wait to provide homes for these children? No, we can’t wait.’ So we have moved up our plans to build the children’s home village as soon as possible.”

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He explained that in addition to the children’s home village, HAM will give higher priority to plans to construct a medical clinic with emphasis on rehabilitation to provide ongoing care for those who have become amputees, were severely injured and have suffered emotional trauma due to the quakes. Also plans to build an elementary and secondary school have been accelerated to compensate for the loss of other local area schools. HAM will also rebuild the technical school and resume classes in carpentry, auto-mechanics, electrical and welding. HAM has already resumed church activities and community transformation efforts such as providing clean water wells, distributing food and clothing, and educating Haitians in good health, hygiene, and sanitation practices. They also have plans to drill new community water wells to help meet the supply need. In these efforts as well, HAM intends to partner with other organizations to provide materials and accomplish program objectives.

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Mr. Honorat and his wife Lisa asserted that HAM’s emphasis on providing technical skills and education would continue. “The people need to have classes…they need to have hope. So we will resume what classes we can, as soon as possible, under the mango trees if we have to.” Added Mrs. Honorat, “That is how we started.”

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They explained that the outlying areas such as Grand-Goave were slow to receive aid as most of the focus has been on Port-au-Prince. Many residents of the capital city are fleeing to the outlying areas in search of food and water, or to reunite with family. However, 80% of the homes in Grand-Goave have collapsed. HAM representatives are stressing the need to get water, food, and shelter to the people as quickly and efficiently as possible. The HAM Disaster Response Plan reflects that the rebuilding efforts must be addressed thoughtfully with the understanding that disaster response must meet immediate needs as well as the long term impacts.

The Honorats emphasized that the Haitian ministry staff on the ground is already providing water and food to the community of Grand-Goave. A 12-acre parcel of land, in addition to the five-acre campus, is being utilized as a camp for Haitians who no longer have homes. They underscored the importance of getting aid and building supplies to the country because the rainy season begins in the end of February.

-Jennifer Hartley, Hartley Communications & Haiti ARISE Media/ Communications Director- Montesano, WA

CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE ARTICLES & PRESS RELEASES ON HAITI ARISE & THE EARTHQUAKE

Calgary Herald Articles

... The organization's co-founder, Marc Honorat, is also on the ground in
Grand-Gouve, about 20 kilometres west of the nation's capital. ...

Articles in the Red Deer Express – January, 2010-

Click on any of the links below to read more:

Haiti ARISE Representatives, Maureen Girvan & Keith Blain, report

Local group returning to Haiti next month

Haiti earthquake survivor to speak locally this weekend

Crossroads Church Interviewing Marc Honorat

Red Deer Advocate – Coverage related to Haiti ARISE - January 2010:

A Better World Bound for Haiti (excerpts of the interview with Alma Funk)

Red Deer groups keep emotional vigil for quake-ravaged Haiti

B.C. teens stranded in quake-devastated Haiti now back on Canadian ground

Thunder from the earth

Nurse narrowly escaped quake

Churches keep emotional vigal

 

CBC piece on Nelson, BC students arriving back in Canada

Alberta Primetime interview with Lisa Honorat - Jan. 14, 2010

Global TV Segment

The news cast of the team's return can also be seen on CBC and CTV websites.

CTV National Live Interview

January 22 at 7:15am aired across Canada in every province. Marc and Lisa were interviewed on the CTV morning show. Click on the CTV link here to view if you missed it.

Marc Honorat to speak in Central Alberta

• Saturday, January 23, at the College Hills Seventh Day Adventist Church service in Lacombe (6915 Maple Dr. Lacombe, 10.50
• Sunday, January 24, at CrossRoads Church`s services in Red Deer (Highway 2/32 Street, 9 and 11am

Marc Honorat and his wife Lisa began Haiti Arise in 2003 and have been involved in various community development projects since. They have hosted several teams from Alberta in the past and have partnered with CrossRoads Church since 2009 in the further development of their Vocational Technical School in Grand-Goave, Haiti. Marc was in Grand-Goave (about 15 km from the epicentre of the quake) when the earthquake happened on January 12, and was hosting a team of teenagers from Nelson, BC – who arrived at their compound just half an hour before the quake.

Marc will share some of his experiences during the two events, as well as ways for individuals, communities and businesses in Central Alberta can get involved with the relief and development effort. Everyone is welcome to attend these services.

Joyful reunion as Calgary man returns from Haiti

krista sylvester/metro calgary

Marc Honorat gets a hug from two of his children yesterday at the Calgary International Airport after returning home from Haiti.

ANSW.Trigger.showLogoIfEnabled("AnswerTips_landing_square.gif",""); try { Prop8="False" } catch(err) { } Hugs, tears and shouts of “daddy’s home” greeted a Calgary father returning from Haiti after being caught in the devastating earthquake last week.

Lisa Honorat, her three children, and other family and friends anxiously awaited Marc Honorat’s return from Haiti with mixed emotions as he flew in from Montreal on WestJet with students from Nelson, B.C.

Honorat was doing humanitarian work with the organization Haiti Arise when the earthquake hit, and he didn’t think he would make it home to his three children and pregnant wife.

“It’s wonderful (to be home) because I didn’t know if I was coming back. It’s really hard to explain, but I have never experienced anything like that before. I thought it was a bomb,” he told reporters while holding his children.

“I didn’t know where to run.”

Honorat has conflicted feelings about returning home and vowed to return to Haiti as soon as he can after organizing relief in Canada.

“I didn’t want to come back, but we are expecting a baby ... I’m looking forward to going back as soon as possible.”

His wife is expecting their fourth child on Saturday, joining siblings Asher, 6, Miesha, 4, and Jasmine, almost two, who were all excited to see their father during the reunion.

“There are not words to describe it. Elated,” Lisa said when asked how she felt about seeing her husband.

“I would have understood if he stayed because of the situation. I’m glad he will be here, but I know he’ll have to go back as soon as he can and that’s wonderful.”

The group of B.C. students who were on a humanitarian mission in Haiti were sequestered onto a bus immediately after getting off the plane in Calgary at the request of the B.C. government, according to airport officials.

Urban Thrift Boutique to Donate 100% of Sales to Haiti Arise Ministries, Saturday January 16

All funds will aid victims of Haiti earthquake

Calgary, Alberta - January 14, 2010 - Haiti Arise Ministries will be aided in its emergency relief efforts by Urban Thrift, a Calgary-based boutique thrift store, which will donate 100 per cent of sales on Saturday, January 16.

"We couldn't sit by and simply watch the news reports on the devastation and loss of life in Haiti. The only thing practical was to raise money as it is so urgently needed," said Urban Thrift President, Elisa Humphreys. "We're asking customers to shop like mad on Saturday so we can provide Haiti Arise with substantial funds to help them during this time of crisis."

Urban Thrift will also be accepting clothing donations for Haiti victims, as well financial donations in addition to purchase totals. The store is located at 3434 34 Ave NE, and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those who are unable to attend on Saturday are encouraged to go to the Haiti Arise website and make an online donation at www.haitiarise.org.

Marc Honorat, founder of Haiti Arise Ministries, is presently in Haiti working under desperate circumstances to help the people of Grand-Goave. His wife Lisa, due to have their fourth child this month, stayed in Calgary while Marc returned to Haiti on January 1 to host a previously scheduled conference. Though Marc and a mission team from Nelson BC are all ok, the same can't be said for tens of thousands of Haitians. Among the dead is Marc's nephew's wife who was 8 months pregnant, who died when the building she was in collapsed. Due to the frequent aftershocks many buildings continue to fall, raising the death toll even higher in Grand-Gouve.

"The magnitude of this earthquake that has hit home for my family is more than devastating," said Lisa. "I sit by the phone and e-mail with baited breath waiting for any hint of news."

Despite being nine months pregnant, Lisa Honorat and various board members of Haiti Arise Ministries will be at Saturday's fundraiser. A video on Marc Honorat's life story, who was a "restavek" or Haitian child slave, will also be playing throughout the day.

About Haiti Arise Ministries:

Haiti ARISE Ministries was founded by husband and wife team Marc and Lisa Honorat in Canada in 2001. Haiti Arise runs a school in Grand-Gouve Haiti, just 25 miles from the center of the quake, which offers classes such as animal husbandry, carpentry, cooking and information technology, as well as theological studies. For more information on Haiti Arise Ministries or to donate, please visit www.haitiarise.org.

About Urban Thrift:

Urban Thrift boutique offers lightly used and stylish clothing for women, men and children. It is located at 3434 34 Ave NE, near the Whitehorn Train Station. For more information about Urban Thrift, please phone 403.769.1934.

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Media Contact:

James Roberts
Haiti Arise Ministries
Main: 403.272.6493

Elisa Humphreys
Urban Thrift
Main: 403.769.1934
Cell: 403.619.1518

Haiti ARISE Ministries Responds to Earthquake Devastation in Haiti

MONTESANO, Wash. – January 13, 2010 – Haiti ARISE Ministries prepares to send aid to the people of Haiti, following the devastation caused by yesterday’s 7.3 earthquake 14 miles southwest of Port au Prince. Haiti ARISE Ministries operates out of Grand Goave southwest of Port au Prince. As news trickled out of the country about massive destruction throughout the country, Haiti ARISE teams in the US and Canada waited anxiously for word from the staff in Grand Goave.

The earthquake occurred at 5 p.m. (2 p.m. Pacific Time) bringing extensive infrastructure trauma and collapse of even significant structures, including hospitals, stores, government, aid organizations and the partial collapse of the National Palace. The death toll and scope of devastation is yet untold, but it can be presumed that this is a tremendous blow to the country, just beginning to pull out of the devastation of last year’s brutal hurricane season. Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Of the 8.5 million inhabitants, over 4 million are considered malnourished. Over half the adult population is illiterate, and 70% of the population is unemployed. Haiti ARISE Ministries, is a non-profit, faith-based humanitarian organization. They have focused their efforts on educating in practical skills, spiritually strengthening and raising up leaders to affect positive change throughout the politically volatile and destitute nation. The ministry also provides a monthly food and clothing distribution and is currently working to establish a goat farm, a staffed medical clinic and a children’s home to address the restavek (child slave) problem in that country.

Founder, and former restavek, Marc Honorat, was on the phone from Haiti with Haiti ARISE Canada’s Vice-President, James Roberts, when the earthquake hit. He urgently asked for prayer for the country and then communication dropped, according to Roberts. Roberts also reported that a few hours before the earthquake a team of 24 volunteers, including 17 teenagers, from Nelson, British Columbia, arrived in Port au Prince to begin their Haiti ARISE mission trip. Darrell Damron, Vice-president of the Haiti ARISE U.S. Board, reported last night, that Honorat was able to get word out, via email at a neighboring mission, that the visiting team and the staff were safe.

“We are doing our part here to prepare to send aid as quickly as possible,” explained Damron. “Haiti ARISE will be providing relief on the ground to people in Haiti in the aftermath of this disaster; no doubt our team is already helping those nearest to them right now. People will know that they can turn to Haiti ARISE for help because we've been there in the past for them. When the sun rises tomorrow, the extent of the damage will be visible, and Haiti ARISE will be providing food, water, shelter, and care to many in the coming days, weeks, and months to come.”

For those interested in contributing to the effort to help in Haiti, or for more information on Haiti ARISE Ministries and Earthquake Disaster Updates, please visit the Haiti ARISE website www.haitiarise.org. Contributions may also be made directly through the Haiti ARISE US office:

P.O Box 609

Montseano, WA 98563

For more info,

Contact: Darrell Damron (Vice President, Haiti ARISE Ministries USA) 360-589-7377

or Jennifer Hartley (Director, media and marketing) 360-580-1099