Haiti Disaster Relief Report
January 17, 2010
This past Tuesday, January 12, 2010, An earthquake with the magnitude of 7.0 in the Richter scale, violently swept the Haitian capital of Port au Prince and it’s near by cities causing the biggest tragedy known to that nation. In less than a minute, tenths of thousands lost their lives and thousands of homes and buildings were left destroyed or deteriorated.
Only few will forget the death and suffering scenes showed by the media.
By the following afternoon, we received the confirmation that the Haitian branch personnel, as well as all missionaries and traveling overseers in those affected areas were alive. No considerable damages were reported in both the buildings and the attached assembly hall.
The Governing Body immediately begun to coordinate the relief labors along with the assistance of our branch here in the Dominican Republic (D.R.), providing practical help and spiritual help to the victims. It is easy to imagine the happiness of our brothers when last Thursday by early afternoon, the branch in Haiti welcomed the vehicles from the Dominican Republic branch with the sign “Humanitarian help of Jehovah's Witnesses”. The 6 tons of food and medication came right in time.
Since then, there has been an unprecedented relief aid ever known to the history of the island of Hispaniola.
The assembly hall in Port au Prince has been turned into a disaster relief center for the hundreds of hurt friends.
The mayority of these are being cared by the brothers from the DR, doctors and nurses, that have offered themselves as volunteers to help in the relief work.
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Their volunteer labor has been of great value. The have aid hundreds with broken bones and profound wounds. They have performed operations and even amputated some body parts. The most urgent cases are being sent to the frontier in Jimani in which are received by a group of brothers including doctors and nurses, and then processed by the hospital in Jimani. Many of the wounded have been transported to hospitalarian centers within our territory by ambulance or by Jehovah's witnesses using their own vehicles. At the same time, volunteers from our congregations are receiving them at the hospitals along with friends that can speak Creole and are making sure that are being well cared for , providing them with food, medications, and once released, a place to stay. The loving care of all these generous Christians is giving their friends a manifestation of “the loving kindness of God, being expressed in many forms”. WHAT AN EVIDENCE OF THE LOVE THAT DISTINGUISH TRUE CHRISTIANS!!!
One of the brothers that has offered to travel to Haiti as a volunteer was interviewed by one of the reporters of the “New York Times” at the frontier line, in which was looking for a way to enter Haiti. The reporter asked him how was he going to enter Haiti and if he belonged to a disaster relief organization. The brother explained that Jehovah's Witnesses were already working at the place of disaster and providing aid through the branch in Haiti. He also explained that more aid was being sent. The reporter was left amazed. The brother also added: “As a Jehovah’s witnesses, it is my duty to do so”.
Unfortunately, as of last night and among the loss of life, it has been confirmed the deaths of some 104 of our friends. The hatian branch estimates that around 10,000 witnesses live within the affected areas. The Bethel family in Haiti and the Kingdom Hall construction groups as well as the local brothers are working hard to rescue the victims (enterradas) under the rubble. It is why the number of wounded witnesses and students continues to rise and for sure surpass 500.
It is for that the Central offices in Brooklyn are sending capable medical personnel that can speak French and had offered to travel as volunteers to assist the emergency.
As we know, the Kingdom halls are still standing and right now, there are between 300 to 500 Haitian witnesses living in them due to loosing their homes. The branch in Haiti continues to work hard providing food and medicine to those brothers. Our branch has initially sent already a total of 25 tons of food and medicine. And of course, this is just the beginning. The disaster relief work will continue to function by our Bethel Brothers as well as the friends in the DR.
At this moment we cannot accept neither workers or volunteers in Haiti, appropriately. Those who want to help can do so by donating money. Until further notice, don’t send donations of clothing or food to the branch.
Let’s continue to pray to Jehovah and doing what we can support the relief work of our brothers, as we share the zeal the hope of the Wonderful Kingdom.