MTW Response to the Earthquake in Haiti  |
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The family of Esaie Etienne, MTW missionary to Haiti, has been flown out of the country for now, and Esaie remains behind. In this excerpt from his most recent email, he makes a plea for the prayers of God's people.
I am here at the school trying to minister to the people that have lost children, parents, siblings. People whose houses have collapsed. I have gone out with a disaster response team ... that is in the school. The scene is horrible. The air is polluted with the smells of dead bodies laying everywhere. My kids have seen dead bodies and they are so afraid that they could not even sleep.
Please pray for us for this open opportunity to share the wondrous love of our God. People are dying here because the relief effort of the international community and the government is very slow. There are cities like Leogane that is destroyed at about 80%.
This is a huge thing.I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of devastation and the amount of people that died. Every body, including ourselves, have been sleeping on the streets under the stars.... See More
Please Pray!
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January 2010
Dear Minuteman,
The correspondent who was reporting for his news outlet has seen many disasters. But he wrote, "What I have seen here, I have never seen before."
It is unlikely that his language was too strong. Two days after the Haiti earthquake, estimates of deaths range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. People are still trapped under rubble. Many survivors have broken bones, head injuries, and internal injuries. The dead are everywhere, and much of Port-au-Prince is strewn about what remains of the streets. Most hospitals seem to be gone, and what little medical treatment exists comes from the earliest responders who are doing the best they can in the open air or in makeshift tents. Some people will die from injuries that could be easily treated with adequate equipment and supplies. The dead are lying with the injured. Families are still desperately searching for loved ones. Disease looms over survivors. Our minds and hearts especially go to the suffering of babies, children, and their mothers.
By the time this letter is received by mail, a clearer picture of damages and deaths will have emerged. As I write, we are working to make a way for our Advance Needs Assessment Team to enter the country. Disaster Response Teams are preparing to follow them as soon as possible. We expect to minister through our connections with local churches, providing a church-based response. Our goal is to share the gospel of Christ in both word and deed-with mercy, compassion, and generosity. We will likely be involved for a very long time.
Thank you for your willingness to be called upon in a crisis. Our Minutemen are the backbone of our ability to respond to events like this. And you share our holistic vision of ministry that will meet both physical and spiritual needs. Could we also ask you to pray?
To give by check, mark #93992MMHT10WEB on the memo line. Or you may give online by clicking here.
Sincerely in Christ,
Paul D. Kooistra, Coordinator
PS: MTW's Minutemen gave $53,460 to the 2009 Manila appeal. Any funds not used in the current appeal will be used for similar appeals.
PPS: If you would like to receive Minuteman appeals by email, please send a message to minuteman@mtw.org with the subject line "Add to Email List."
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