Although the earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, is no longer front-page news, the people and churches of Haiti are still in a desperate struggle for recovery and a variety of Grace Brethren churches and people are continuing to help.
Tim Boal, executive director of Go2 Church Planting, was in Haiti with a team of pastors as this issue was going to press. Reports from the team may be found at worldvisionchurches.org.
One report said, “Today we met with pas-tors from the Hinche area. We talked with them about the challenges they face and what has happened since the earthquake. When we asked them how many of them were impacted by people moving in with them since the quake, almost all of them raised their hands. They shared stories about where they were when the earthquake hit.”
The story of one pastor, Walter, is very pow erful. “Pastor Walter said that on the day of the earthquake he was traveling to Port au-Prince to meet his daughter who is in college there. She had a mid-term exam and needed money to pay the fee or she could not take the test. Walter spent a few hours looking for a ride or a taxi to drive him to the city. He could find no one. About 4 p.m. he gave up and went home. His daughter Jean was denied the ability to take the test and she went home as well.
“As they both traveled home, the quake struck. The next day Walter found a ride to the city and found his daughter safe. They went to the college and found the four-story building completely collapsed with teachers and students trapped inside; they had per ished in the earthquake. Walter praises God for his daughter’s safety though he grieves with those who were not so fortunate.”
Pastor Andrew Saunders of Palmyra, Pa., noted that the Penn Valley Church Network has a three-year strategy plan they have developed. The Haiti trip by their senior leader, Tim Boal, is to survey the needs of Grace Brethren churches in Haiti. For more information, contact Mike Bishop at mbishop@bishopwood.com or Tim Boal at tboal@go2churchplanting.org.
Mike Taylor, director of operations for Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM) and a medical professional, also left for Haiti on March 17. Taylor asked specifi cally that people pray for (1) opportunities both medically and spiritually, (2) that customs agents would allow him to import badly needed medicines and medical sup plies, and (3) for wisdom as Taylor worked with Pastor Chuck Davis and his Caribbean Vision ministry team in Port-au-Prince.
In one of his first messages after arrival in Haiti, Taylor said he was, “Sitting in Haiti sort of stunned by all of the destruction and marveling at the tenacity of people in the developing world. Five hundred yards from where I am sleeping is a hotel that was pancaked with 53 people inside, yet to be recovered. Tonight more than 100 young people walked past that hotel and came here and with great joy sang and worshiped God!”
Dave Lewis of GBIM reported that, as of press time, giving to Relief Agency Breth ren for Haiti totaled $86,254. A number of individual churches have been involved in additional relief efforts as well, includ ing the Winona Lake (Ind.) Grace Brethren Church, which raised $16,000 to send a container of relief supplies to Haiti through World Compassion Network.
Pastor Doug Jensen of Grace Church, Norton Campus, a Grace Brethren church in greater Akron, Ohio, reported that his congregation has sent approximately $9,000 for Haitian relief. In addition, a number of Norton people are prepared to go as soon as teams form.