Here are some pictures from our team in Haiti. These photos were taken by Lindsay Spang with a few by Phil Cunningham, members of our team that are currently in Haiti. We are looking to send another team in about 3 weeks. I will give you more information as it becomes available.
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As many of you may know, several friends & co-workers from YWAM San Diego/Baja are currently in Haiti helping to restructure staff for a more long term outlook. They were able to visit Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti and hardest hit, and Lindsay Spang captured the heart of the situation in her blog today. Here is what she had to say (to follow her and her husband's journey through this trying time, visit their website at www.thespangs.com.
Today our team of 8 went into Port Au Prince. We were not really sure what we would see or how we would feel, but we knew that if we were going to be a part of the long term work here in Haiti we needed to see not only the good, but the pain and the hardship as well. So at 7:00 we loaded into 3 vehicles and made the 2 hours trip into the city. The closer we got to the city the more chaotic it got. The first thing that we noticed was that right outside the city there are acres and acres of concrete pieces that the city has removed from the wreckage of the earthquake. The more we drove the more we saw with our own eyes what we had been watching on the TV just day’s prior. Massive buildings were toppled. Rubble, concrete and rebar were everywhere. There were some streets that just looked like you were in any typical 3rd world country then you would turn down another street and it seemed like you were in a movie about the end of the world, it was intense. The thing that we noticed though was that life kept going on in Port Au Prince, Haiti. On the news we saw pictures of broken, hurting and weeping people, but what we saw today were a people who decided to get up and move on. Now we understand that they are still broken and hurting, but they are not stopping. One of the Haitian men with us today told us that “the Haitian’s are a strong people, when we get knocked down we get back up and keep going.” This was very clear today. At one point today we stopped at the palace, which is completely destroyed, and 6 boys walked up to us with smiles on their faces. There were excited to see us and they wanted pictures taken of them and pictures with us. For a moment it seemed like people had forgotten. People had forgotten about the death, the hurt and the pain and were just living again like God intended, with smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts. Be strong Haiti, Jesus has not left you. Prayers go out to our team currently in Haiti working with YWAM Haiti and the government. Thank you for your continued support. For those who have been following everything going on in Haiti I wanted to share with you the latest news. We have a team of 8 from YWAM San Diego/Baja (3 from Ensenada) currently there. This was very short notice as they made plans last Friday. They arrived yesterday (Tuesday) after traveling over the course of an entire day. They left San Diego at 6:30 am, flew into Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the YWAM base there (about an hour outside of the city) then drove them the 10 hours to Saint Marc, Haiti where the YWAM base there is located. This is just north of Port-au-Prince (the capital). I am attaching a map of the area for a better visual. Our team will be there for at least the next 3 weeks assisting the staff and coming up with different strategies for the long-term situation. They are also helping to restructure the staff so they can handle better all the supplies, refuges, and volunteers coming in to help. They are badly understaffed and overworked. Some are so overwhelmed with what all needs to be done that they can't even begin. Pray for the staff that are there. There are many amazing wonderful things happening through this as well though. One tiny blessing for our team is that Trader Joe's (a grocery store on the West Coast) donated $190 worth of food and supplies when they found out our team was going to Haiti. American Airlines (who they were flying with) also gave each person 3 bags 70 lbs each for free. They ended up taking over 800 lbs of luggage for free. Praise God. For those who have asked, currently we are not able to take up any donations of supplies and do not as of yet have access to do so. I know many of you wanted to potentially do a clothing, food and supply drive but they are only accepting full shipping containers and we do not have anyone as of yet that we can send random stuff to that will fill a shipping container. I will keep you posted on this. We may have teams going to Haiti that will be able to physically take supplies with them and if that is the case then I will let you know the best way to handle it. I will keep you posted of all the wonderful things that God is doing through all of this. For now, I leave you with a video of a recent connect with Terry Snow, the director for YWAM Haiti and what all God is doing over there and how you can get involved. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4261067 For those who would like to hear more directly from Terry Snow, the National Director for YWAM Haiti we are connecting with him via video/skype conferencing and it will be broadcast live so you can join us.
There is a link listed below, just click on the link this morning at 10:00 AM PST (12:00 CST for all of you in Alabama). I am working on getting some answers to the many questions that have come my way since my first update. I will continue working on it and continue to update you as to what all is being done through YWAM San Diego/Baja and YWAM Haiti.
If you missed the broadcast you can still watch it as it was recorded live. Just click on the LINK UP AMERICAS site and As many of you have heard Haiti was hit with an extremely hard earthquake this past week killings lots of people and destroying many of the buildings. It was the largest earthquake the nation had ever felt. We have a YWAM base located in Haiti and here is what they are saying right now. Please, if you have the resources to give something or the ability to start a food drive or something similar, please do so. Thank you for your prayers and I will keep you posted on what all is being done within YWAM San Diego/Baja and YWAM Haiti throughout this devastating tragedy. |
AuthorI am on an amazing adventure traveling the world with Jesus. Join me on my adventure and learn what I learn. *Add a note stating it is Staff Support for Sheril Brasher or Little Builder's Preschool
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