Ever since the earthquake
that devastated the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti; it has
been a challenge for all of us to figure out a way of helping.
A man that has been on our
staff in the past at Florida Church of God Ministries, someone who I have
traveled the world with, and who I trust completely, was an eyewitness to the
pain and the uncertainty that the Haitian population is experiencing when he traveled
to Haiti last week. Richard Fields is the Executive Director for Helping
Hands in Motion, a non-profit, trans-denominational organization that supports
national and international missionaries around the world. Richard has
labored in Haiti for years and knows the culture and the people.
I had a conversation with
Richard yesterday; after reading a report he wrote on his trip to Haiti. I know
the challenging aspect of making a difference during these critical times is
finding out the best way to help. Richard saw first had what the needs
are in Haiti, and stated he would be more than happy to give any information
and answer any questions regarding relief efforts or ways to be involved in
helping earthquake victims. You can contact Richard by e-mail at helpinghim@bellsouth.net
or by phone at 772-878-7007. Richard is a trusted and close friend who
can also be contacted to help you and your church in Florida.
Here is Richard FieldsÕ
Report on his recent visit to Haiti:
Dear Praying Family
and Friends,
After much preparation and
delays we (Phil Murphy, Nate Wilkerson and Richard Fields) made it to Haiti on
Sunday morning. When we landed and exited the plane I felt in many ways I
was back in the Army; helicopters flying by, military personnel and
everything that goes with that was all around the airport. And there on
the grassy areas of the airport were personnel and supplies from all
around the world. Several countries were represented and flying their flags, it
was a powerful scene. On our drive to the first stop, we were
overwhelmed with all the destruction. The pictures that we had seen on
the television were nothing in comparison to the real thing. It seemed like
every home or business we seen was damaged or totally destroyed; very few
buildings looked like they didn't have any damage.
As we drove through Port
Au Prince the roads were fairly open. Still the masses of humanity living
in the streets are truly heart-rending. Tent cities are growing at a
rapid rate. Some already have thousands of people living in them. Many people
are building little shacks with scraps of tin and plastic. There are Cite
Soleils (primitive tin sheds by the thousands) beginning to pop up everywhere. It
is surreal to see so many people living outside. Nearly everyone is afraid to
chance sleeping inside the houses that are still standing. The sad fact is
hundreds of thousands have no house to go back to. There are just so many
people all over the place.
When we made it to
Qvisqveya Christian School there was no time to just sit around and
visit, we soon met up with individuals we knew - and those we did not
know. We immediately jumped into action and we all were given various
tasks that needed to be done. God had worked it out that 4 of us traveled
together: Phil Murphy, Michelle Murphy, Nate Wilkerson and myself, all of us
with various gifts and talents. Phil and I started meeting and working with
various ministries making necessary contacts needed now and in the future.
Michelle can speak fluent Creole, so she was taken to a hospital where
she interpreted for English speaking German surgeons and Nate
was helping to move and set things up around the school. We
stayed very busy that first day then spent the night with the Director
ofQvisqveya Christian School.
We would not be in Haiti
long, and we had many things that needed to be accomplished, so on
Monday we started that
process. Michelle and Nate stayed around the school and in a few medical camps,
to help out where they could. Phil and I headed out to see if we could help
some local ministries with some immediate needs before we headed out of town
to Phyllis Newby's Ministry, about a 2-hour drive out of town. At Phyllis'
we found there was very little damage from the earthquake, mostly
cosmetic. They have a fairly well stocked hospital on the compound there,
we had been told a medical team would be there
working, so we were surprised that they were not there. One couple
that flew in after us was working at Phyllis', helping with mostly minor cuts
and abrasions. We toured the hospital and found it would be a great place where
many could be air lifted or brought in. They had sent representatives
into town trying to let others know of the facility, without much success. Phil
and I took information with us, in hope to share with others so the
facility could be used. Then as we left, Phyllis herself went into town to try
and inform those in charge of the facility and they could immediately
start using it. Pray that this facility will start being used to help those
suffering from this devastating earthquake.
We traveled back to town
to make some connections, telling them about Phyllis' place then to get
Michelle and Nate and head up the mountain to the House Of Blessings. It was
dark when we made it to Tania and Fancky's house, Phil and I walked
through it and found that God had blessed them; their home did not have
any structural damage that we could see. They had started building a second
floor and some blocks from that had fallen. Then we went to the House Of
Blessings orphanage; all the children were outside and excited to see us. Phil
and I walked through the orphanage, Phil even went down in the cistern, under
the house, and Praise God, and there was no major structural
damage anywhere. God had taken care of the orphanage building! The
only damage was a back porch that had been back-filled and then concrete
poured on top of the back-fill and it had settled a little.
There on the House Of
Blessings property they had started to build a school next to the orphanage, it
had the first floor completed, it did not receive any structural damage.
It, too, had a second floor started and some block had fallen from it,
also there was a retaining wall on the backside of the school that came down
and the stones from the retaining wall went through a few windows and a door
destroying them. Also, there are several areas of the wall
surrounding the property that have been damaged, which causes security
concerns. In all, it could have been much worse, Praise be to the Lord that
Phil had did such a great job building the orphanage, which is one reason
it survived so well.
I wish I could say the
same about the neighborsÕ homes around Callabasse; they did not survive as well
as the orphanage. Most of the homes have been severely damaged and
destroyed, to the point they cannot be lived in. As we walked around the area
talking with friends and neighbors, they would ask us to inspect their homes.
It was a very heart breaking time as we talked with them, hearing their stories
and looking at their destroyed homes. It will take several years to help them
rebuild their homes, but their lives have been changed forever!
As we drove
through the streets, walking through neighborhoods and talking with so
many people, we were flooded with emotions. Through all the death and
devastation, glimmers of hope could be seen and heard in various places. We
were told that when tremors would come, people would sing songs of
inspiration and hope. People were gathering together, from all races and
economic levels holding hands, crying and singing praises to the Lord.
Prayer meetings were spontaneously popping up. Individuals were sharing stories
of how they had been spared and God has saved them for a greater calling. Many
said that they were just thankful to be alive.
These strong resourceful
Haitians that we have admired for so many years were once again rising up from
all the rubble, with many holding strong to their Faith.
Most of the people in
Haiti do not have Facebook or generators. While we want to try to be a voice
for the people of Haiti and represent them in a sense, and try to help, the
fact is, we can leave, we have another country, and we have many possibilities
of places to go. Most folks there are at the end of their rope.
Once again we have been
given the opportunity to share the Love, Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ with a
country that has experienced another catastrophe. Once again we have
been given the opportunity to be the hands, feet, arms, legs, mouths etc. for
Jesus Christ to a people that are in great need. Once again we have been given
the opportunity to feed those who are hungry, give a drink to those who are
thirsty, invite a stranger in, give clothes to those who need clothing, help
those who are sick and in need. Once again we have been given the challenge
from the Lord, "whatever you do for the least of these brothers of mine,
you have done it for me."
When we returned we
brought Tania and Francky's three children with us. Tania and Francky felt if
the children were with Phil and Lonnie they would be safe, allowing them
to concentrate on helping the House Of Blessings children, other families, their
friends and people in general. When we entered the US and went through homeland
security they checked the children' passports and visa's, everything was in
order. A guardianship document was made in Haiti giving Phil and Lonnie
guardianship for the children, but it was not notarized. They held the children
with Phil and Lonnie until 3 AM before taking the children to a facility south
of Miami. This has been a very difficult and traumatic time for everyone;
hopefully Phil and Lonnie should have the children soon. We traveled to Miami
to be with the children, Lonnie is staying close by to visit them frequently.
This is just a short statement about what has been transpiring; many
details have been omitted. We need you to be aware of the situation and
praying for their release to be expedited and the children to be released into
the care of Phil and Lonnie.
Blessings,
Richard
Helping Hands In Motion
"Our people must
learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be
unproductive." Titus 3:14, NLT