Two Month Anniversary...

Today marks the two-month anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti- January 12, 2010.

I can still vividly remember getting the phone call that informed me that there had been a "bad" earthquake...I also remember the fear that gripped me, knowing that my daughter, son-in-law and 25 other very good friends were on that island. We had no idea if they were safe, let alone alive. I got home as quickly as I could, but getting there is a blur. For the next few days, I was glued to CNN and Facebook, as I tried to convey information to other friends so they could pray with and for us. During this time, I was afraid, yet strangely calm, knowing that the group that had gone to Haiti, went there to help others and whatever the outcome of this tragedy for our family & friends, God knew all about it even before it happened. I had to put my children and friends into His hands.

As I thought about what the situation might be for our team, I found some peace in knowing that in the group was a doctor, a nurse, an Army Reservist, plus many others that had been to Haiti before and had made some connections there. This is the first time there has been medical professionals along on a service trip- that in itself is amazing.

When we received word that every person in our group was alive and unharmed, we were so thankful that God had spared them. But then the worry set in anew....now our group was "trapped" in a foreign country with barely passable roads into the capitol city, which now lay in ruins. Prayers began in earnest for a way to get them home. That was what was happening here on our end.

Things were very different for our group in Haiti. Yes, they had experienced the earthquake and the aftershocks, but at first didn't really know what was happening. When they could make sense of it, they simply continued to do what they had gone to do in the first place- help others.

They were able to take rice, vegetable oil and canned meat (some of which was processed here at Christopher Dock High School, through the Mennonite Central Committee's "Canner") to the people of Cotes de Fer, who had lost most of the buildings in their village.

The doctor and nurse were able to treat some of those injured during the quake and many of the women on the team just did what came naturally to them, caring for the women and children of the town.

Later in the week, Dr. Freed and Tom Nace, who is in the Army Reserves, were able to accompnay the doctor and nurses from Labaleine, as they took medical supplies into Port au Prince. The medical professionals were able to attend to some very serious injuries while in Port and Tom was able to go to the Embassy and speak to someone in the military about the needs in Cotes de Fer and Jacmel. This contact with the military gave important information, which then led to the military landing on the south shore of the island and getting much needed aid to the people of Cotes de Fer.

Yes, our group was concerned about how and when they would be able to get home, but they didn't just sit around waiting and wondering. They went to serve the people of Haiti and ended up being exactly where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there. The connections made in Cotes de Fer were not by chance- we believe it was a divine appointment and lives were changed, both in Haiti and here at home.

The team did make it home, each forever changed by the events of two months ago. Many of their family members are also changed- we all again realize the importance of reaching out, putting ourselves out there and living lives that give to others. That is what we've been doing with the TENTS FOR HAITI Project- giving our time, our money, our hearts. We each have found that just the time we think we're helping someone else out, WE are the ones who are getting blessed.

Our first trailer is going to be packed and closed tomorrow. We will all have a sense of "mission complete" when that tractor pulls away from the dock and heads to Florida, but we are not done. We already have things ready to load into the second trailer and we are excited to see what more we can do with your cooperation, to help rebuild the lives of the people of Cotes de Fer and beyond.

God bless us all!