Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Update

It's been a long day. It was like the world of La Pointe stopped and the only thing important was finding news about friends and family. The kids went to school but within an hour everyone was sent home. Our office was full of people all day begging us for more information and help trying to locate loved ones. We did all we could to help, and in the end some were able to rejoice; some like us were thankful for lives spared, but terribly saddened by the situations our loved ones find themselves in; some are still waiting for news and others are tonight going through intense grief. We all have shed our fair share of tears today; tears of joy and tears of sadness.

We heard from Carl Evens, our boy who lives and studies in PAP with the Boucher family,this afternoon after much trying. We were so relieved, I can't even tell you, we all had tears in our eyes while he talked to us. We also were able to talk to Mme Boucher for a few minutes before the phone cut out. They are fine, but it sounded like they pretty much lost everything; she was sitting out on the road with the kids...with nothing and no place to go...our heart are broken for them, and we know there's nothing we can do to help them right now. She did tell us she lost one niece that she knows of as well.

God really spared Carl Evens, he wasn't at school yesterday as he had finished his exams and had a few days off (he was supposed to come up here today on the bus, go figure). He said his school was ripped in two, and all the students who were there were buried underneath and they've not been able to get any out. It was such a God thing that he was at the Boucher house when the earthquake happened, because he had to rush in to get their middle boy out. He got hit on the shoulder, but saved the boy's life!

Dr. Boucher is also ok, but completely swamped with work. The MSF hospital he directs had to be evacuated after the building became unstable, and he is now trying to deal with more patients than he and his team can handle. So please pray for him during these very difficult days.


On a much sadder note one of our neighbors
lost their daughter and granddaughter in PAP, as well as a niece and nephew (children of another neighbor). They all lived in the same house…just young kids really, it’s terribly sad. The spouse of an employee of the hospital found out throughout the day of 7 different family members who had died. Others are still waiting for any news at all that their loved ones are still alive. Please continue to pray for our friends and neighbors. It's still very hard to get news. The phones only work sporadically.

We’ve heard from Ruben (Ernst’s brother, also studying in PAP) he’s fine. And so are Mme Yvon’s boys. But we haven’t heard from our good friend Miss Marie Ange at all.
So we ask you to pray for her.

Thankfully we still have the internet. And thank you to everyone who has written to let us know of your prayers and support. Many are asking what you can do. Both CrossWorld and Extreme Response have Haiti Relief funds set up if you are interested in helping out financially. At this point we are waiting for things to settle down a bit to know how best to help out.

Pray for wisdom for us to know how to deal with the different situations that come our way. Pray for our co-workers in PAP who have so much more to deal with (we are thankful fhat all of our CrossWorld missionaries in Haiti are accounted for and are ok). Pray that we'd continue to be a light to those around us during this dark time.

1 comment:

Traci said...

Thank you so much for your posts. You immediately came to mind and we have been praying for you. I also work with an Awana kids ministry group and we are praying for you as well. May God bring comfort, guidance and help and turn hearts toward Him as He is our refuge and stronghold in trouble. We can trust Him and know we will not be forsaken. Psalm 9:9-10 With tears and prayers