Here are some stories from the front lines
From Jody....
I gave an interview on the Weather Channel tonight and reported what Jose saw. Someone saw that interview and called the mission. I answered the call. The lady told me – My name is Edgar and my best friend is trapped in her home in Petionville. She is an American. Her cellphone is about to die. She called to say good-bye to her friend. Edgar begged - “Please – save my friend”. We cried together on the phone. Can you imagine being buried alive? I yelled for Jacques and he came and talked to the lady on the phone. We know exactly of her location. In fact we have staff that lives nearby. We haven’t heard from our PAP staff and her house is where the big hospital collapsed. We are trying to call the Baptist Mission and our friends in the area – but there is simply no phone service. It rests in God’s hand but tonight we will do our best to call every 5 minutes in hopes that we can reach someone. Jacques called this lady’s cell phone (she has an american phone with ATT) and she cried on the phone to him - “please save me”. I think her phone must have died then because when we called back there was nothing.
Please pray because this is just one of many people who are trapped and will not make it out of the rubble.
Jose said the streets would remind you of 9/11. No trucks can pass by. Rubble is everywhere. The smoke from the concrete covers the air and you can barely breathe in some areas. With darkness comes fear and in a land dedicated to Satan – I’m sure few have the hope of the Lord. They don’t have anything tonight to cling onto – to help them get through this. Women were looking for their children and everyone had cuts and sores. Jose said one guy was hollering out in pain – laying on the street as he lost his leg when his home fell.
The thing is – this is just the beginning. As we find out more reports from PAP – and morning sets in – we will finally see the battlefield. The reaction to this no doubt will be devastating. While our area has just small cracks and the Catholic church has blocks that fell below – our village will suffer none the less. Next comes the lack of vehicles bringing food and diesel. Next comes the outrageous prices for what small food is still available. While we might have only felt the tremors – we will feel the aftershocks for sure. How in the world will these Haitians survive?
Over 100’s of thousands expected in casualties. How do you process that? How in the world do you explain that to new Christians and small children? I don’t understand it myself. My home was fluent today with countless Haitians wanting to catch a glimpse of the news, weeping while I hold their hand or hug them tight – and it never stopped. I feel so numb and yet I cry nearly every 10 minutes. Always another story – always another problem. They come to me looking to “save” them to make it go away and i am left helpless – crying with Melonnie because there isn’t anything we can do.
I heard from a crying Jose on the phone. He is fine. He’s at the Visa Lodge and called from their landline. He said the coke factory in front has severe damage. It was like there was a hedge of protection around the Visa Lodge.We both sobbed. He thought that our home had crumbled just like the ones in PAP. They still feel strong aftershocks. He begged me to take the family outside to sleep. He doesn’t realize that what he saw isn’t the same that we feel.
People are wondering the streets aimlessly – with no where to go. All the houses have crumbled – there’s no power and no cell phone service. People have no way of knowing whether their family is okay. St. Louis is grieving as they have family in PAP and can’t reach them. He saw countless bodies buried under debris. He said he just can’t process this – it’s the worst thing he’s ever seen. I praise God he is okay. I pray that God will use this somehow to His glory….like maybe there’s a reason Jose is on the front-lines of the battlefield.
On other news – the two orphan boys came back with a tragic story. The quake started and they ran out of the house as it fell and killed everyone in it. They ran to another house that had their friends and only one person came out – Exalus who often helps with groups. No one else. Immediately a school full of little children fell and everyone died inside. We could barely understand their story through the sobbing. I had to ask 3 different times to really understand and I honestly may still be missing something. Melonnie led a praise and worship session with Americans and Haitians tonight. She said that there weren’t any dry tears. Everyone is mourning as news continues to filter in.
Why tell you that – because I’m trying to make this real – not just something you see on the news. This isn’t some distant land – this is my home. The terror in their eyes is something I will never forget and I want you to picture what that looks like. They have had nightmares all day long. They told me they will never be the same. They were shaken and scared and in shock. How many others are that way – those that did survive and will never forget what they saw? How could it not change the life of every single person there? Lord Have Mercy On Haiti…
As some cell phones are beginning to work now – news about personal accounts are filtering their way up here. You will hear someone PRAISE THE LORD – when they hear their family is okay – - while another one collapses to the ground when they realize they lost everyone.
We still have no word from ANY of our PAP staff – their cell phones don’t work or perhaps……I don’t want to go there. NOT TRUE NOW - – JOCELYN AND FAITDU (two orphan boys) just walked through our gates! Talk about God’s timing and just when you think you have no hope.
From Melonnie
heartbroken and numb
This earthquake has changed so much here. The realization of the utter horror around me is becoming more and more clear.
Today I listened to two of our “boys” give their accounts of what they experienced during the earthquake in PAP and what they went through afterwards. They made their way back to the mission yesterday and today and are absolutely haunted by their experiences. I could do nothing but weep as they told their stories.
Jocelyn told us running to people after the first quake while the destruction was all around and telling them that they needed to turn to Jesus. That is wasn’t too late. He led several of them to Christ right there on the street. My heart was bursting with a mixture of pride and pain. The boys told of their joy in finding each other and the decision that they made to get out of the city. They told of people in the streets crying out to God, praying and singing. Jocelyn said that the cries got louder after the first big aftershock. He told of hearing the cries coming from the rubble of the people trapped underneath.
Their accounts of the devastation and horrifying descriptions of the dead and injured broke my heart more than I thought was possible. I literally have a pain in my heart that will not go away.
Here is the amazing part… they want to go back. They want to go help. They saw children everywhere on the streets with nowhere to go. They are planning on heading back to PAP in the morning with Larry Owens (Jody and Janeil’s dad). Their plan is to find as many orphaned children as possible and bring them to safety. To feed them, give them medical care and just love them and care for them until we can find their parents or figure out how to give them homes. We are planning on possibly bringing them to the Port au Paix campus. It used to house our orphanage before the move and is empty and waiting. There are several other options Janeil is checking into as well.
While my heart hurts for these boys and the fear that they must feel about going back, I am also incredibly glad to be involved in something so amazing.
We are starting to plan for the weeks and months ahead. To conserve fuel, the hours we run our generators will be cut to just a few each night. Jody reminded us all that less power means less water as well. We are all pulling together and will make it all work. I am so VERY grateful to be serving with such amazing missionaries here. We are a family. I thank God for that.
Keep your prayers coming!
earthquake ripple effects
So it’s been over 24 hours now since the earthquake. We are getting more and more information about what’s happening in PAP. We can seem to tear ourselves away from the television but just can’t process what we are seeing there.
My day was mostly spent answering emails and phone calls. Giving interviews and speaking to reporters. Trying to let the world know that we are ok here in St. Louis du Nord but that PAP is desperate for help.
We had one of the translators make his way back from PAP today and his stories were horrifying. He told us of destruction and death all around him. Buildings, schools, banks… all gone with people inside. He was lucky to have escaped harm himself.
As the spotty reports start to come in, more and more of the Haitian staff here are finding out that loved ones are lost. Mary is one of many that received bad news today. She works here at the mission cleaning and helping with laundry among other things. She found out today that her sister is one of the dead. My heart was breaking for her today and all of the kitchen workers as they sat together on the floor crying together.
Many are still waiting for news but are fearing the worst. They have heard the reports that hundreds of thousands are possibly dead. My friend Ivenor is one of them. He is the head translator and is my assistant. He grew up at the mission orphanage but does have parents living in PAP. His little brother is here at the mission now and they are waiting to hear any news at all. Seeing the look on Ivenor’s face today and feeling his pain brought me to tears. He is one of many of the staff here who haven’t heard about parents, brothers and sisters, friends. I know that some are planning on trying to get to PAP in the morning to try to find their loved ones. Please keep them in your prayers.
We had an awesome time of worship and prayer tonight. I think it was good for all of us to worship Him even through the pain. We invited all the haitian staff to join us and it was an emotional but spirit filled time. I thank God that we could all come together as one and lift up songs of praise to Him.
Melissa and Maureen are heading out in the morning with 2 Haitian nurses, Magdala and Sylveste and also Dr. Simon to work at Mission of Hope outside of PAP. Innocent and Benna are going with them for security. Please pray for them all. Pray for their safety. Pray for comfort and peace… for them and for their families as well. They are taking a huge truck filled with medical supplies too.
This is a scary time for all here in Haiti. There is pain, suffering and grieving all around us. The weight of it is almost unbearable. My heart breaks for the pain and fear my Haitian brothers and sisters are feeling. People are afraid that the quakes are still coming. There have been around 30 aftershocks and I’m sure that it is terrifying for them as buildings are already crumbling around them.
I pray that God will use this tragedy in a mighty way. That He is glorified through these trying times. I pray that people are turning to Him in their time of darkness. I pray that broken hearts are comforted and that the people here are filled with a peace like none they have ever felt before. I pray that God wraps His arms around this entire country and wipes away tears.
I pray for strength and safety for all of the missionaries here in Haiti and the relief workers coming in to help. I pray for wisdom for the doctors and nurses and that God will direct rescue workers in just the right direction.
Please join me in continuous prayer. We know that God hears our prayers rising up to Him like a beautiful song. Help me make it a loud one!
This earthquake has changed so much here. The realization of the utter horror around me is becoming more and more clear.
Today I listened to two of our “boys” give their accounts of what they experienced during the earthquake in PAP and what they went through afterwards. They made their way back to the mission yesterday and today and are absolutely haunted by their experiences. I could do nothing but weep as they told their stories.
Jocelyn told us running to people after the first quake while the destruction was all around and telling them that they needed to turn to Jesus. That is wasn’t too late. He led several of them to Christ right there on the street. My heart was bursting with a mixture of pride and pain. The boys told of their joy in finding each other and the decision that they made to get out of the city. They told of people in the streets crying out to God, praying and singing. Jocelyn said that the cries got louder after the first big aftershock. He told of hearing the cries coming from the rubble of the people trapped underneath.
Their accounts of the devastation and horrifying descriptions of the dead and injured broke my heart more than I thought was possible. I literally have a pain in my heart that will not go away.
Here is the amazing part… they want to go back. They want to go help. They saw children everywhere on the streets with nowhere to go. They are planning on heading back to PAP in the morning with Larry Owens (Jody and Janeil’s dad). Their plan is to find as many orphaned children as possible and bring them to safety. To feed them, give them medical care and just love them and care for them until we can find their parents or figure out how to give them homes. We are planning on possibly bringing them to the Port au Paix campus. It used to house our orphanage before the move and is empty and waiting. There are several other options Janeil is checking into as well.
While my heart hurts for these boys and the fear that they must feel about going back, I am also incredibly glad to be involved in something so amazing.
We are starting to plan for the weeks and months ahead. To conserve fuel, the hours we run our generators will be cut to just a few each night. Jody reminded us all that less power means less water as well. We are all pulling together and will make it all work. I am so VERY grateful to be serving with such amazing missionaries here. We are a family. I thank God for that.
Keep your prayers coming!
PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!
