Children of the Promise ~ Haiti

9:45pm Central Update (1-19-10):
I have no idea how to describe this week. What has happened in Haiti seems apocalyptic. I wonder how similiar it is to Japan in 1945.

It seems with desperation setting in and level of uncertainty rising, that the earthquake may have been the easier part to survive.

Reports came to us that diesel could rise to $60/gallon. Price of food seems to be blood, and relief is in slow motion.

In spite of all the "scary" news I have to say how impressed I have been with many of the people. Man on the street saying"our buildings are all down but God is raising us up, Praise be to God". The spontanious reaction at the time of the earthquake has been to worship and acknowledge God. More footage of people helping each other, than looting. A lot of personal sacrifices for strangers.

Children of the Promise has no damage to the property. we are about 90 miles from the epicenter and the people there did feel the quake and days of aftershocks. Missionaries would describe the aftershocks as lasting for minutes and many people getting motion sickness from rocking for hours after the initial shock. Everyone knows someone that will not be back and stories of God's protection on those spared.

On the day of the earthquake our own Antonio spent most of the day in the airport trying to get to an adoption meeting in PAP. The weather kept him grounded in Cap Haitien so he was unable to make the trip. The people he would have been with had their building destroyed and was seen many times on CNN. The staff he would have been with did not make it. Antonio would have been there with one of our babies.

Pierre usually spends Tues. afternoons in a class with other Campus Crusade employees. He was out of the country on other training on Jan. 12. Eleven of his friends had attended class that day.

The migration north is in full swing. We have been asked to sponsor 10 families in our village of Lagossette. We are trying to get a good food supply on hand but very little is available.

We are trying to send basics back to PAP. They (not officials) want to charge us $1000 U.S. to have a truck with security to go to the American Embassy. It makes me upset, but if the tables were turned, I would hope others would spend the money to get food and water to us. I guess the question is, do you trust God to provide, or trust the money to help you out. Lets go with the God option.

Jan was supposed to fly to Cap Haitian on a chartered plane on Thursday. They were going to help us as we try to evacuate some of the babies in the adoption process. We had preliminary permission to do this, but events are constantly changing and by this afternoon, the flight was cancelled. I do not say that for us to worry. These kids need out of the country now, more than ever. Please pray that we can get our babies safely to their adoptive families very soon.

We are planning on filling a container in Willmar. It will be baby supplies, food, more beds, and medical suplies. Please check back for more information on this event.

Thank you for your support of Children of the Promise and the people of Haiti.

Bud