- Many of you have asked how our orphanage is doing in Haiti. I’m thankful to report that everyone is fine and that the quake did not damage our orphanage, which is located about 100 miles from the epicenter. However, if you are wondering where to donate to help assist those devastated by this catastrophe, Hopegivers is an excellent option. First of all, they are recommended by the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). See the latest posting:
ECFA Provides List of Faithful Haiti Relief Groups to Help Donors Avoid Scams
Here is the latest update from the Hopegivers website as to how they are getting invovled:
Many folks have been calling and asking about Hopegivers’ needs for the ministry in Haiti due to the earthquake. Most of Hopegivers’ work in Haiti is focused primarily in the northern part of the country. In the North the quake was felt, but there has been very little damage reported. We praise God for the safety of all of these brothers and sisters.
Nevertheless, there is tremendous need in Port-au-Prince and many other towns and villages in the South which were close to the earthquake epicenter. With the immediate need, Hopegivers working with Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia, a local church partner in Santiago, Dominican Republic to send 200 doctors, who have left for Haiti this afternoon to assist those injured in the quake. In addition, 24,000 bottles of water, along with food, medicines and other supplies are being brought to the Port Au Prince area.
In the short-term, Hopegivers will continue to work with local churches and ministry partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to provide assistance to those victims of the earthquake who need immediate help.
As a ministry, our medium to long-term response will be focused on reconstruction and caring for the orphaned and abandoned. After security has been established and the initial search and rescue efforts are over, Hopegivers will:
1. Assist in the reconstruction of schools, orphanages, and churches that have been destroyed in the earthquake
2. Care for children orphaned and abandoned by the earthquake. in the coming weeks and months, there will be a need to start orphanages for the children whose parents were killed in the earthquake.
With our focus on reconstruction and the orphaned and abandoned, we encourage you to ask people to give now so that Hopegivers will be positioned to help some of the tens of thousands of children who are expected to be orphaned because of this catastrophe. Governments and disaster response organizations are playing a critical role right now in helping with rescue and relief. We praise the Lord for them, but when they leave Haiti, the question will then become “What Now?” That is where we feel our response and your support can be most effective.
Thanks for all of the prayers and support. Please continue to pray for all those affected. While our friends in the North of Haiti are safe, we know many who live in the Port-au-Prince area that we have not heard from yet.
As a little treat, I’d like to share a video taken at our orphanage in Ouanaminthe. This is the testimony of one of the girls, Nancie, that I met while I was there. I hope this touches your heart like it did mine!