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Great
Need = Great Response
September 18, 2004, is a day that united our hearts and actions as a Free Methodist Church. That's the day Hurricane Jeanne destroyed a Free Methodist Church and school in Mapou, Haiti, a suburb of Gonaives. One hundred twenty-five church people died, including 40 children in the school. A total of 3,000 people died throughout Haiti. The homeless total 250,000. While we mourn profoundly the death of our brothers, sisters and children, we rejoice in the fact that more lives weren't taken. The day following the flood, Pastor Louisil carried bodies from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., transferring them from their place of death to a pile of corpses of both people and animals, which incinerated the atmosphere with grief and a deluge of stench. Some of them were his own church people and our sponsored children. Now, eight weeks later, we have the testimonies of the unswerving faith of our pastors in this stricken area. While many people found refuge in the shelter of our schools and other second story buildings, our pastors found refuge in the shadow of the Almighty. God has been their strength and stronghold during this time of uncertainty and rebuilding. God has been great in His faithfulness, and it is in the Lord they are finding healing for their wounds, refreshment for their spirits and restoration for their lives. Three of our cooks from the Mapou school (HA713) were among those who drowned. Hundreds of families lost their homes, gardens, animals and personal belongings. Most people were left only with what they had on their backs.
We have received reports from all 21 of our sponsored schools that were affected by the flood. There were varying degrees of damage. Most schools lost all their pedagogic equipment (lesson planning books, teaching guides, classroom posters). Children lost their books, notebooks and uniform material. Basic classroom furniture was lost or destroyed (benches, chalkboards, teachers' desks and chairs). Cooking pots, utensils, plates, cups and silverware for feeding the children were carried away in the floodwaters. The food that had been stored in our depots was ruined by contaminated waters. Many of our high school students lost all their books and uniforms, as well. There was also structural damage to several of the schools and outlying buildings. Many schools lost classrooms or roofing materials. Toilets were damaged or destroyed. The gas stoves used for cooking are plugged up with sand deposits from the floodwaters. Out of 21 Free Methodist sponsorship schools in this area, all are open. Some of them are now meeting out under the mango trees because they don't have classrooms, but they're meeting. Immediately following the flood, the schools resumed the feeding program because of the huge need to feed the children and help them through this trauma. We have a long way to go in the clean-up efforts and to stabilize the schools to our level of expectation. But, we commend the daily heroic efforts that have been forthcoming to change chaos back to normal routines. And, many of you have been a part of the rebuilding team. You've sacrificed your material possessions, you've prayed, you've called and emailed us. You've kept up with our Web site. And, you've cared. The church around the world has responded to this need. The first to send any funds was our church in Puerto Rico. The Latin FM churches took up offerings at their area fellowship, which was in progress just after the flood. Money has been coming daily from churches, individuals and groups. United we stand! The challenge has been great, but so have you. If
you would like to send donations to help with the Haiti Relief efforts,
you may do so on this Web site. Earmark your donation "Haiti Relief."
These funds will be directed to the Bishops' Famine and Relief Fund. FM
World Missions is also distributing funds to Haiti Relief. If you would
like to help in the rebuilding of the schools and the feeding program,
you may send your checks to International Child Care Ministries, PO Box
535002, Indianapolis, IN 46253 or make a credit card donation at www.childcareministries.org. |
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