Haiti - My Personal Connection

I know everyone knows about the tragedy of the massive earthquake in such a poverty stricken place. My home congregation has a long history with orphanages in Haiti and supporing missionaries and medical clinics. The parents of one of my best friends growing up, live in Haiti, as missionaries. Their names are Tim & Debbie Vanderbeek. They live in Thomazeau, Haiti which is not to far from PAP (Port Au Prince). They have been in PAP helping the past several days. I want you to read this, in Debbie's words, and see her pictures, to see a portion of what they are experiencing.

January 14th:
I do not even know how or where to begin. This has been the most surreal day. Could this really be happening!? What we saw and experienced today is beyond words. And the tremors continue. When we were leaving the orphanage this afternoon a fairly strong tremor shook. The kids are so high strung. Everyone, I mean everyone is in the streets. They have been told not to go into their homes. Nothing is stable. So much is not only not left standing, but not recognizable. People are still trapped in rubble. The dead literally line the streets.

This is the rubble of a school & church in Haiti.

January 15th:
People are everywhere on the streets and look dazed. There is an emptiness in many of their eyes. There are decomposing bodies still on the streets. The government is asking people to photograph the dead, bury them in designated mass graves and document, along with the photo where they are buried. Many are trying to get out of the city, to go to relatives in the provinces. There are more taptaps on the roads today, making getting anyplace a challenge.

This is a park where thousands are now living because they have no home.

The local news here skyped and you can listen to Tim Vanderbeek describe the scenes in Haiti.


What can you do? PRAY! Give - Haitians need everything - clothes, food, water. If you are interested in places to donate, here are a few I suggest:

1. PRCOC (they are giving the money directly to the Vanderbeeks to distribute)
2. Hope for Haiti's Children (the organization Debbie works for) - they do a lot for orphans in Haiti.
3. Red Cross
4. Compassion International

There are so many other programs...please consider one. Take time, prayerfully consider the Haitian people, and decide if you can afford to give. The people of Haiti are in desperate need, when is a better time to give? We are praying fervently that they see and feel the healing power of Christ.