Disaster Response

Earthquake in Haiti from Global Communications on Vimeo.

On the Ground: A Firsthand Account From Walliere Pierre

It was about 4:53. I was in the car. Suddenly, I felt and heard some very unusual noises. I tried to figure out what was happening. It was so difficult to understand and the only thing I could say and do was to cry out to Jesus three times. The calm came. After that, I found myself in the deep darkness and I could hear a lot of cries of children, young people and adults and terrible detonations. I prayed and the courage came into me, then I understood it was an earthquake. I have never experienced such a thing in my life before. I can just say it was a terrible monster.

As the coordinator of the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, when I heard these cries my heart was broken and I was thinking about how I can help those people to reassure them that Jesus is there because He promise He will be with us every day and forever. But it was not easy. But, in the crowd I saw a lady laying on the ground and she screamed because her only son was about to die in her hands. When I approached her, she said to me: “Please save my son. Some water, some water for my son. Help please! Help please! He is the only one I have”. I thought the child was already died so I was filled with compassion. I put my hand on the child and prayed. Right after this, a man came with a bottle of water. I said to him to give some water for the child. He said to me, “I can only give two drops because this bottle of water already saved a lot of people.”

I said, “no problem. Just give me two drops.”

I put it in the mouth of the child who drunk and immediately the little boy opened his eyes. Then, I turned around and saw a UN car. I asked for water and they gave me a cup. I washed the face of the child and gave him some to drink and he could breathe a little bit better. His mother was praising the Lord.

In that moment I could not do any more than touch the people and say to them to be courageous because Jesus is there. So, the place where I was standing was transformed into a big tabernacle as the people sang, gave praise to the Lord because they survived from that terrible monster.

I know now we are both nationally and internationally in an extremely emotional time after this indescribable catastrophe. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Haiti sees a big burden and a great challenge for this time. From Tuesday to Thursday, we have already mobilized some local physicians and nurses to give the first aid in the area of Delmas (near the Nazarene Bible college and one of the areas hardest hit). We gave blankets, ibuprofen, some clothes, some antibiotic, etc. We have two volunteer surgeons, one registered nurse and four or seven other people work with me on the street in many neighborhoods around Delmas. This work is very encouraging.

As you know the responsibility of NCM is to be near of the poor and needy and all victims of natural catastrophes. My hope in this circumstance is to prove that the compassion of God not only gives food or medicines, but also to shares the suffering of the people and to show true love to those who weep and are hopeless.

Rev. Walliere Pierre
National Coordinator for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Haiti

How You Can Help

You, your group, company, or church can donate these items. Here are shipping instructions. Spread the word. The more people that know about the disaster and know how to help, the more assistance we can provide in Haiti. Keep praying. Interested in bringing a group to help in the critical months ahead? Email ncm@caribnaz.org.

The Beginnings of Our Response

One week after the 7.0 earthquake rocked Port au Prince, Haitian pastor Franckel Formétus describes the scene on the city streets: “Since the earthquake, the street is the home of all Haitians—that is to say their room and also their living room. What can we do to overcome this situation? We should think of another way in Haiti.”

Finding Another Way

Just as Franckel is thinking of “another way” to overcome the overwhelming devastation and minister to members of his flock, the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Petion-ville is already being used in another way. Although the spring semester was about to start, classes are being postponed as the 33-acre campus is now being used to house refugees. Theological education is on hold as the ministers and students there live out theological beliefs.

According to the most recent count, 373 adults are camping out on the grounds—a number that does not include the many children accompanying the adults. On campus this week is Dr. Bill Dawson along with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinator for the Caribbean region, Beth Luthye. They continue to survey the situation and further develop a plan for extensive distribution of aid. NCM is providing for the basic needs of those without anywhere to go.

Solving Seemingly Insurmountable Challenges

Thankfully, the buildings on campus suffered minor damage from the quake, but the perimeter walls were destroyed in many places. This posed a problem for distributing aid to people in an organized manner and from a secure location. Since usable block and mortar for repairs are in short supply, Caribbean Work & Witness coordinator, Curt Luthye, started looking for alternate solutions. He determined that a diesel-powered cinder block maker would best accomplish the goal. Because repairs needed to start immediately, the search began in the United States to find and ship a block making machine.

This seemed an impossible task on such short notice, but nothing is impossible with God. Through the efforts of Jason Evoy, youth minister at the Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene in Bakersfield, CA, and a partner with Nazarene ministries in Haiti, a block maker was found, purchased and prepared to ship.

The next challenge was finding a way to transport this 1,100-pound piece of equipment to Haiti. Planes were either too small or too full. But through a remarkable series of connections, a U.S. Navy ship headed to Haiti agreed to load the block maker if it could be delivered and loaded on board before the ship left. Time was short.

“Our block maker was delivered two minutes before the ramp was lifted on the MV Jack Lummus,” Envoy reported. “Praise the Lord! The guy came down and received the item himself and it's supposed to be on the ship right now!”

The block maker will arrive in Port au Prince via a United States Navy ship this Friday, January 22.

Responding to the Need

There are many other stories emerging of God moving people to action and making connections where there were none before. People are responding to the overwhelming needs with creative solutions and great generosity. But there is more to do.

NCM has provided a list of ways to provide for those affected by the quake here. A cargo container in Miami is currently being filled for shipment to Haiti. If you would like to purchase some of the needed items online and have them directly shipped to Miami, log on to www.thehaitiproject.com and click on the www.amazon.com

link to find a store specifically set up for NCM purchases. Follow the shipping instructions on the site. When the container is full, it will ship. We hope it can be sent to Haiti at the end of this week.

The needs are great, but God is working in powerful ways. In the words of Pastor Pierre Walliere, coordinator of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries for Haiti: “This is my responsibility to serve the people if God gave me life. Because when the earthquake happened I was in a very difficult zone.”

There are many difficulties still ahead for the nation of Haiti. Continue to pray for those at the campus, the Nazarene pastors, and all who are working diligently to provide aid.

To donate towards relief efforts click here.

You can also send a check to General Treasurer / ACM 1204 Caribbean Disaster Response / PO Box 843116 / Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

Check here for more news stories, here for photos, and here to see how the global Church is responding.