Pastor Andy Samuels trip to Haiti
by Rob Appel
Below is an update from Pastor Andy Samuels, Senior Pastor at the Miami SDB Church. Pastor Andy left on Monday, February 22nd and flew to the Dominican Republic and then by car arrived in Haiti. Many of you have contributed towards the recovery efforts in Haiti. The SDB Conference thanks you for your thoughts, prayers and gifts to the people of Haiti. We have sent over $10,000 to BWAid.
Now we have an update that can be specifically targeted with our efforts. Please read below whaer our help can help Seventh Day Baptists in Haiti.
Dear Brothers,
Thanks to the Lord, I got back safely today from my trip to Haiti. And what a sobering and thought-provoking trip it was! Thousands of people in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas are sleeping outside in tents, under a tarpaulin, or under the stars. Some of these tents and tarpaulins are placed in the streets causing some of those roadways to be closed off to vehicular traffic. Wherever there is an open space, it is almost certain that it has become or is going to become a Tent City, the latest form of "housing" development in Haiti.
Not only have people been displaced from their homes because of earthquake damage and loss, but there is no eagerness to occupy buildings, not to mention venturing anywhere above the first floor. There is tremendous fear in the psyche of the people. They have lived through a terribly traumatic experience and wonder if anything similar will recur.
Schools remain closed and the Government has mandated that they must not reopen until specifically told to do so by the authorities. Psychological counseling is one of the greatest needs right now. The people need coping skills.
On the part of the children, the boredom factor is a reality and it becomes very easy for them to gravitate into the wrong kinds of activities, out of a desire to occupy their time constructively. I must say that I saw an attitude where people genuinely seemed to want to lift their spirits. They appeared to be willing to keep their morale elevated, and the Christians did not seem to be shrouded in despair. Many believers recognize and appreciate the great evangelistic opportunity that is available since peoples' minds and hearts are attentive to spiritual matters at a time of crisis like this.
Food is a great need for many people as it was even before the earthquake. It is not easy to understand how to solve this problem on a long-term level, rather than simply giving handouts. Pastor Jean Lucas Julien and the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Croix des Bouquets, which is about 15 miles east of Port-au-Prince, are alive and well. They have had their share of the disaster but they remain faithful and hopeful. Pastor Julien operates a school up to the 6th. grade which has a current enrollment of about 250 students. The Church meets in one of the school buildings and that building was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Now they worship in the school yard. The other building of the modestly-situated premises suffered damage, but was not destroyed.
Pastor Julien's house also suffered some damage. He and his family are still sleeping outside and have no tents.Their immediate needs are for tents for his household, which is 9 people, and tents for the Church family, which has about 30 in need. The need for help with food is ongoing, and in the past our Church has provided supplies periodically for Pastor Julien to do a food distribution in the community. They also need help with the repair and rebuilding of the school buildings. The biggest and most costly need is for a Church building.
In December, 2003, the Miami Church raised some funds with the help of a donor who matched the funds. Those funds were specifically for the purpose of purchasing a plot of land for a Church building. That purchase was completed as I personally made a trip there to oversee the transaction. Pastor Julien had begun putting up a wall to surround the property. That partial wall has come down as a result of the earthquake. Whatever we can do to give them a start with a building project, will be greatly appreciated. Through some contacts made with the Team with which I went down to Haiti this week, I am exploring some additional avenues of funding and help with the building.
Thank you all for your interest.
Andy
Now we have an update that can be specifically targeted with our efforts. Please read below whaer our help can help Seventh Day Baptists in Haiti.
Dear Brothers,
Thanks to the Lord, I got back safely today from my trip to Haiti. And what a sobering and thought-provoking trip it was! Thousands of people in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas are sleeping outside in tents, under a tarpaulin, or under the stars. Some of these tents and tarpaulins are placed in the streets causing some of those roadways to be closed off to vehicular traffic. Wherever there is an open space, it is almost certain that it has become or is going to become a Tent City, the latest form of "housing" development in Haiti.
Not only have people been displaced from their homes because of earthquake damage and loss, but there is no eagerness to occupy buildings, not to mention venturing anywhere above the first floor. There is tremendous fear in the psyche of the people. They have lived through a terribly traumatic experience and wonder if anything similar will recur.
Schools remain closed and the Government has mandated that they must not reopen until specifically told to do so by the authorities. Psychological counseling is one of the greatest needs right now. The people need coping skills.
On the part of the children, the boredom factor is a reality and it becomes very easy for them to gravitate into the wrong kinds of activities, out of a desire to occupy their time constructively. I must say that I saw an attitude where people genuinely seemed to want to lift their spirits. They appeared to be willing to keep their morale elevated, and the Christians did not seem to be shrouded in despair. Many believers recognize and appreciate the great evangelistic opportunity that is available since peoples' minds and hearts are attentive to spiritual matters at a time of crisis like this.
Food is a great need for many people as it was even before the earthquake. It is not easy to understand how to solve this problem on a long-term level, rather than simply giving handouts. Pastor Jean Lucas Julien and the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Croix des Bouquets, which is about 15 miles east of Port-au-Prince, are alive and well. They have had their share of the disaster but they remain faithful and hopeful. Pastor Julien operates a school up to the 6th. grade which has a current enrollment of about 250 students. The Church meets in one of the school buildings and that building was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Now they worship in the school yard. The other building of the modestly-situated premises suffered damage, but was not destroyed.
Pastor Julien's house also suffered some damage. He and his family are still sleeping outside and have no tents.Their immediate needs are for tents for his household, which is 9 people, and tents for the Church family, which has about 30 in need. The need for help with food is ongoing, and in the past our Church has provided supplies periodically for Pastor Julien to do a food distribution in the community. They also need help with the repair and rebuilding of the school buildings. The biggest and most costly need is for a Church building.
In December, 2003, the Miami Church raised some funds with the help of a donor who matched the funds. Those funds were specifically for the purpose of purchasing a plot of land for a Church building. That purchase was completed as I personally made a trip there to oversee the transaction. Pastor Julien had begun putting up a wall to surround the property. That partial wall has come down as a result of the earthquake. Whatever we can do to give them a start with a building project, will be greatly appreciated. Through some contacts made with the Team with which I went down to Haiti this week, I am exploring some additional avenues of funding and help with the building.
Thank you all for your interest.
Andy
posted by Rob Appel at
8:20 AM
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