Dear Metro District Family,
As of the writing of this communication, the death toll in Haiti hovers around 2000. However, predictions are that the true number could end up being around 10,000 to somewhere near 100,000. This is not sensationalistic. This is the reality that Haiti is facing.
After meeting with several of our Haitian pastors this week, here is what I found:
- There are 16 Alliance churches in Haiti. Four churches have been impacted by the earthquake – the church in Lazil, the church in Jeremie, the church in Carrefour, and the church in Port-De-Paix
- In Lazil, 98 families are now homeless, and the church has suffered structural damage
- In Jeremie, 17 homes have been destroyed and 27 homes, along with the church, have suffered structural damage
- In Carrefour, 4 people have been wounded
- In Port-De-Paix, 2 people have died (the earth literally “…opened and swallowed them up.”)
- There is an Alliance Bible Institute in Lazil. It has been destroyed.
- Among the congregants in the Haitian churches in our district, many of whom were represented by the pastors on the call on the call, 23 family members have been directly impacted by the earthquake. There may be more, as many more of our district churches have family members living in Haiti.
The direct impact to our Alliance family, that we are aware of, totals 120 homes destroyed, 27 homes damaged, 4 people wounded, and 2 people dead. I have seen the pictures that have been sent to our pastors from their contacts in Haiti. They are devastating. My heart breaks for what the Haitian people are going through. On top of that, in Jeremie, mudslides have blocked roads and made ongoing recovery efforts more difficult. This is truly a state of emergency.
There is an organization in Haiti called Mission of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The President of the organization is Rev. Cineus Rony. Rev. Rony and the organization work directly with several of the Metro District Haitian pastors that were on the zoom call with Omar Niebles and me. This mission and President Rony will be our official contact through our pastors here in the Metro District.
While they are still assessing the damage, we want to jump in and immediately do what we can to help. We will set up a fund through the district office that will assist with the relief efforts from the earthquake, as our C&MA churches in Haiti seek to provide food and shelter for those who are now homeless and begin the efforts to rebuild the churches that have suffered damage and the school that has been destroyed. We encourage you to give to this fund. We will make sure that, through our pastors who are in direct contact with the organization on the ground, these funds will go directly to helping our Alliance family in Haiti recover and minister to the communities around them.
We ask that you please collect funds through your local congregations and send a check from your church to the Metro District Office. In the memo spot, mark it “Haiti Relief Efforts.” We will ensure all funds collected will be sent directly to help our Alliance family in Haiti, along with the surrounding communities to which they minister. Thank you for caring for our Haitian brothers and sisters.
And, as you give, remember that this characterizes the people we are called to be in the Metro District. For, we are Spirit-filled, renewal seeking, Bible preaching, healing believing, gospel proclaiming risk takers who have learned from our founder that people who advance the Kingdom are presence dwellers that say “yes” to Jesus with uncompromised obedience, even if they’re called to walk in a way they’ve never walked before.
Still Giving God My Yes,
Kelvin |
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