Wheelchair Promise Press Release

THE RED THREAD PROMISE ANNOUNCES DONATION OF
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI

Four Canadian employees of Halliburton extend the company’s charitable activities by supplying all-terrain wheelchairs to Haiti’s amputee population

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – The Red Thread Promise, a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to providing medical care to orphans around the world, announces the extraordinary donation of 50 all-terrain wheelchairs, plus shipping costs, by the employees of the Canadian office of Halliburton (NYSE: HAL). As part of The Red Thread Promise’s Wheelchair Initiative, these desperately needed chairs will be distributed to people in Haiti. TRTP is supporting this donation with its own contribution of the maintenance and repair kits that will keep these wheelchairs in operating condition for years.

We have all read a great deal about the crushing circumstances facing the survivors of Haiti’s January earthquake. Among the most needy are thousands of new immobile amputees: men, women, and children. Haiti’s economic and social structure has always provided special challenges to a physically handicapped person. In the post-earthquake period, amplified lack of resources coupled with extremely poor road conditions make traversing the mountainous country even more challenging.

A new All Terrain Wheelchair (ATW) can do wonders to help this underserved population. Developed by Mobility International, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, this wheelchair bears little resemblance to a typical wheelchair. Instead, it is geared to rougher urban or rural terrain. Its back wheels are mountain bike tires and it sits lower, with a special seat cushion that absorbs bounce. Special automatic flex suspension controls side-to-side movement, and the front end extends forward to provide front-to-rear stability.

This rugged vehicle is therefore suitable for a wide range of indoor and outdoor use, from hospitals to city streets to off-road terrain. Its heavy-duty construction is ideal for passage over the steep ascents and descents characteristic of the roads and pathways in rural areas of Haiti where it is most critically needed. Kathy Korge Albergate, President of TRTP, says, “This generous donation will make an immediate, direct, and profound difference to the recipients, enabling children to return to school and adults to find or return to work.”

Each year Halliburton hosts the Halliburton Academy, an event that brings together over one thousand employees from all over the world in Business Development, Technology, Operations and Functional groups to learn more about company's strategies and technologies. During the event, employees play the Chairman’s Cup Golf tournament, with part of the entry fee earmarked for a charity that is chosen by the winning team. The Red Thread Promise wishes to thank the members of the winning team, John Gorman, Sheldon Harbinson, Fred Farmer and Trent Ulmer, from Canada, for choosing the Wheelchair Initiative.

The donated chairs are scheduled to land in Port au Prince in June, and then will go to Mountain Top Ministries (MTM) in nearby Gramothe for distribution. MTM is a well-established institution that provides a school and clinic to impoverished mountain residents of Haiti. One of the organization’s chief priorities has been to help fellow Haitians take ownership of their nation and work to defeat generational poverty, village by village. Willem Charles, founder of MTM, says, “We are delighted with this promising response to our great need for all terrain wheelchairs. Not only will this donation provide independence to handicapped members of our community, but we have a well-equipped workshop ready to provide training in assembly and maintenance of the wheelchairs.”

About Halliburton

Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry. With more than 50,000 employees in approximately 70 countries, the company serves the upstream oil and gas industry throughout the life cycle of the reservoir - from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production through the life of the field. Visit the company's Web site at www.halliburton.com.

About The Red Thread Promise (TRTP)

The Red Thread Promise (TRTP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing medical care to the world’s orphans, has a long-standing relationship with Mountain Top Ministries. Members of TRTP visit Haiti regularly, hand-carrying supplies and teaching English in the school. President Albergate says, “The Haitian mountains are a constant obstacle to impoverished disabled children, adults and seniors attempting to maneuver through the rough terrain. These all terrain wheelchairs can provide a life-changing experience for those who are immobile. We are grateful to have the opportunity to directly impact the lives of so many people in need.” Learn more or donate at www.redthreadpromise.org.

Kathy & Tom - Days 1 & 2 in Haiti

Kathy, Tom and the team made it safely to Haiti despite late flights from New Orleans and Miami. They were greeted by Willem (MTM), Rachoul (Rivers of Hope orphanage director) and Jean Michelle (Rachoul's son) who took them to the guest house in the midst of a slow drizzle.

Haiti is in its second week of the rainy season, which normally lasts for approximately 6 weeks. The roads are taking a beating in all of the rain. Large potholes are now huge potholes. Vast areas of road has washed away leaving behind deep ruts that are difficult to traverse even in a truck. Large rocks and boulders have been washed into the streets making many impassible. Tomorrow the team will go to Port au Prince to see the affect the rain is having on the tent cities.

There are 7 people on the team, pictured from left to right:

• Sally, representing the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
• Kathy, TRTP President
• Randa, interior architect
• Noor, urban planner
• Tom, interior architect
• Jennifer, former TRTP board member working for SDG Adoption
• Angie, occupational therapist

Kindergardeners singing at the Gramothe School

A tour of MTM's school and church followed. Willem showed them the site for the new Children's Home orphanage on MTM's property. Then a trip up the mountain on foot to visit the village of Gramothe and surrounding areas.

Sally holding Rose at Rivers of Hope

Christopher

Finally, they drove to Rivers of Hope to tour the facility and, of course, play with the beautiful children in Rachoul's care. There are 6 boys and 1 girl at this time. Praise God Christopher was feeling well today and running around like a typical healthy boy.

Tomorrow's schedule will be just as full. Check back for an update.

Haiti Team Member in the News

15 of our 26 team members from our Haiti trip.

From left to right: Karen (foreground), Kathy (behind Karen), Wade peeking out, Erin & Tom.

During our recent trip to Haiti, TRTP team members were privileged to meet Karen Henderson, a medical professional from Terre Haute, Indiana. She joined the team of doctors, nurses and physician assistants who had come to work in the clinic at Mountain Top Ministries (MTM) during MTM's first week of operations following the earthquake.

I (the author) met Karen at the airport in Port au Prince, where we frantically searched for our bags among the crowds and gathered close to Willem as he guided us swiftly through customs. She and I rode together in one of the trucks to Mountain Top Ministries. As we drove, Karen was video taping much of the material that you will see on the newscast from WTHItv 10.

She video taped throughout the week and, if you watch closely, you will see Kathy (TRTP President) and Erin (TRTP board member) working in the clinic.

Thank you, Karen, for your moving pictures of life in Haiti.

Travelers log - Day 4 in Haiti

Tom fitting a patient with reading glasses.

Kathy teaching a family how to open a bottle of vitamins.

Kathy, Tom and Christel checking patients in.

Angela, Pastor Mike and Sean preparing the room for a new patient.

Angela and Tom working together.

Today we worked in the clinic again doing a variety of tasks, including taking and recording patients' temperatures and weight, fitting people for eyeglasses, applying scabies ointment and keeping the clinic as tidy as possible with the volume of people coming through the doors. 185 patients were served by our team.

The highlight of our day was a short trip to Rivers of Hope orphanage where we were able to talk with Rachoul about the operation and HOLD THE BABIES.

The facility is beautiful and is just like a home. It has a living room, dining / sunroom, a large bedroom / playroom with bunk beds, cribs and a play area that opens onto a patio. The grounds are well-kept with several connecting outdoor areas, including a small toddler-sized playground.

But the most beautiful aspect is the children. They are so happy and content in their environment with their extended family. There are 4 nannies, 3 onsite at all times caring for the children. We enjoyed spending time with the kids and got to hold most of them, including Christopher.

Thankfully, 6 of 7 babies are matched with families. Rachoul is looking forward to the arrival of 5 new babies this week. We are hoping to meet some of these new faces before we return to the US on Saturday.

We delivered suitcases full of supplies that, in Rachoul's words, "made my day." She gave us all big hugs and was so pleased with the soy milk, vitamins, baby food and diapers. The orphanage shelves are fully stocked again and she was thrilled.

Travelers log - Day 2 in Haiti

The view from the guest house balcony. Gramothe church, clinic and school in upper right.

Close up of Mountain Top Ministries' facilities where we attended church today.

Church is in upper left; school is behind the church; clinic is on the right.

Trying to give an idea of how far away the church is.

Mountain Top Ministries has a family of rotweilers on the property to help ensure the guest's safety. The dogs barked till the wee hours of the night. Then the roosters served as our wake-up call and started crowing at first light. Thus began our Sunday.

It was a beautiful morning - a curtain of fog covered the tops of the mountains. When the fog lifted we got a glimpse of the mountains everywhere. It is beautiful here. Even with all of the rubble, the palm trees find a way to break through, complemented by beautiful tropical vines and flowers.

Due to yesterday's rain and the steep, steep dirt roads, it was too slippery to walk up the mountain to get to church. Thankfully, the experienced Haitian drivers in the group drove us up the mountain on the back of the flat bed and on ATVs. The roads make Lombard Street in San Francisco look straight as an arrow! Couple the windy roads with steep cliffs and a slippery muddy surface and you have a bunch of VERY nervous Americans holding on for dear life and Haitians that probably laughed at us the whole way.

The view from the church is phenomenal. Tiny cement houses line the edges of the mountainside as far as you can see. Goats, cattle and chickens dot the hills. The sides of the mountains are terraced for a bit of farming. The dry river bed in the valley is full of stones and rubble from the quake.

The church, school and clinic are located right next to each other more than half way up the mountain. We traversed the steep slippery steps into the chapel and were greeted by smiling Haitian faces. About 120 of us worshipped God during the 2 hour service. The enthusiastic singing was infectious and passionate. We were all blessed by the service even though we understood very little since the majority was delivered in Creole. We greeted and hugged many new faces.

Following the service, the medical team went to the clinic to unpack the supplies they brought while the rest of us toured the property. It was a great time to familiarize ourselves with the facility before it is overrun with students and people needing medical care that are anticipated tomorrow.

A point of strong interest for TRTP is the finishing of Mountain Top's surgical center. This will fill a critical need in the surrounding mountain communities. Currently only the foundation is complete. We have aligned ourselves with a very talented interior architect from New Orleans who has joined our team here in Haiti to access the needs of the medical facilities. Following the tour, we all sat down with Willem to get details about his vision of the surgical center and pertinent information on getting supplies and labor in Haiti to complete this much needed project.

The remainder of the afternoon was a flurry of conversation with the different team members sharing previous experiences in Haiti, plans for the upcoming week and thoughts on how to improve the tasks at hand. We enjoyed some Haitian soda and delicious black beans and rice. The cook here is amazing!

Tomorrow begins a day of work for everyone, whether it be in the clinic, the school, or the orphanage. In the meantime, it is time to get some rest.

Travelers log - Day 1 in Haiti

Port au Prince airport.

Loading the luggage and the passengers.

Baggage claim.

Immigration.

Well, we made it to Haiti! We were humbled to find out that we are part of the first mission team to work at Mountain Top Ministries since the earthquake. It's been a long day for the 24 volunteers sharing the guest house at MTM. We originated from Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and even a few folks from Canada. Some got up as early as 2:00am! Included in our team are medical residents, nurses, physician assistants, an architect, child advocates, and a communications person (yes, that would be me).

While traveling via bus from the terminal to immigration, we were able to see the military camps that are set up right next to the runway. Tall fences with razor wire surround anything of value, including these camps. There were Hummers and many helicopters on the ground and in the air. We saw a HUGE airplane which opened up the entire tail end to expose full-size shipping containers of supplies being loaded and unloaded.

Immigration was a simple stop at a wooden "booth" right before entering the baggage claim area. Willem and his crew met us there and moved us swiftly through baggage claim (which was a pile of suitcases in a warehouse), customs, and out to 2 low sided trucks and a jeep-type-vehicle. The luggage got stacked in the trucks, the team piled into the trucks (some in the cabs and some precariously perched on top of the luggage) and off we went.

The roads in Port au Prince... how should we describe them? The majority of surface area has deteriorated and crumbled causing gigantic potholes everywhere. Our truck actually got stuck in a huge pothole. Thankfully, our driver was very capable and got us out! We were very concerned about the fate of those who were riding on top of the luggage. It may be the bumpiest ride any of us has ever taken!

And driving in Haiti? Suffice it to say that there is only one rule of the road: try to survive. There are no traffic lights or signs. You can drive on whatever side of the road you want, pass when and wherever you want. The roads are filled with dilapidated buses, trucks, cars, mopeds, pigs, goats, chickens, dogs and pedestrians. It is truly survival of the fittest.

They gave us a quick tour of Port au Prince before we left for MTM. The devastation is indescribable. Photos do not even come close to doing it justice. Collapsed government buildings / businesses / homes / hospitals / hotels / universities / schools; piles of rubble as tall as small buildings; piles of trash littering the streets; stacks of old tires; overturned vehicles that have been stripped of every possible usable part; padlocked buildings everywhere; huge make-shift tent communities wherever there was enough space.

And then there are the beautiful people: street vendors trying to make a living, people working and shopping at street-side markets, people walking with giant containers on their heads, Haitians staring at us as we looked at them. Some of the people were lively and talkative while others appeared to be in a daze. Very young children roamed the street, running around, darting in and out of traffic. Some waved and called to us while others hid their faces from our gazes.

Needless to say it took quite some time to get from the airport to MTM, but we all made it safely. Thankfully, the all-terrain wheelchair made the trip well. We assembled it onsite and the MTM staff is very excited about giving them out. There is such a great need for this type of wheelchair here. The terrain is very challenging and there are so many new amputees that need help. We look forward to serving in this area.

Following grace, which was led by Willem's eldest son, Stephen, we shared a great Haitian/American meal of cornmeal with a layer of ground beef and black bean gravy. (I asked for the recipe, but since the cooks just "cook", I think I'll have to try to duplicate it on my own. Hoping to volunteer in the kitchen this week.)

Willem and Beth shared information about staying at MTM including water conservation, limited electricity, the daily schedule, safety, sleeping in the mosquito netting and the rules about leaving MTM's property.

Well, many folks got up very early this morning and we are trying to wind down now, so we will close for tonight. Look for more posts with additional photos.

Your Donations at Work in Haiti

Your contributions are truly making a difference in the lives of others. Whether it is the treatment of an individual orphan like Zheng LuYuan, or bringing supplies to an entire mountainside in Haiti, it is news like this that warms our hearts and reinforces that our work is effective. Thanks to your generous support, we have sent over $13,000 directly to the directors of Mountain Top Ministries and Rivers of Hope orphanage in the past few weeks! Your donations have directly impacted the lives of thousands of Haitians and we wanted to share some of the news with you.

Mid January
Willem was, and still is, highly engaged in helping relief supplies get to the people of Haiti. He met with the Minister of Commerce, the Prime Minister and President Preval on January 21st to discuss this massive undertaking in the mountains outside Port au Prince, where Mountain Top Ministries and Rivers of Hope orphanage are located. Willem worked closely with a team to set up food distribution points in Gramothe and Dumay. The villages of Madeleine, Boucan, Planchet, Tala and Depense were also served at the distribution point in Gramothe. Beth and their sons, David and Stephen, spent hours organizing supplies for rationing. They packaged medical items creating health kits as well as organized and filled large bags of medical supplies from the MTM clinic.

Hugs were shared and tears shed as they said goodbye to friends who evacuated to the Dominican Republic. Those remaining at MTM tried their best to keep their spirits up as they continued to search for classmates and friends. Even though the work was exhausting, sleep was an elusive luxury that many were unable to find for themselves.

Late January
Willem was instrumental in food distribution in the outer lying areas of Port Au Prince as well as in the immediate areas around MTM. The people's desperation was mounting as their need for clean water and food escalated. Willem and Beth reported that there were a few "close calls", but thankfully, God brought them through without incident.

Mountain Top Ministries' school principals reported that all of their teachers survived the earthquake. Sadly, they could not reach each and every family at both the Gramothe and Dumay schools. They prayed for word from all families.

On January 28th, a dry food distribution was done in Gramothe. There was enough for each family to get a 100 lb. bag of food items. On the 30th, Willem, Stephen and a crew from the Gramothe / Thomassin area arrived in the village of Dumay with rice. They handed out one 50 lb. bag of rice for every 4 villagers to be shared; the very elderly received 1 full bag. Once the line of adults was complete, a new line was formed with children. There was enough rice remaining that every 5 children were allowed a full bag to share. Everyone in the village that came for distribution left with food.

Early February
The village of Madeleine is 2 mountain sides walk from Gramothe and is home to some of the poorest children that attend the MTM School. Coordinating a food distribution for this village was challenging. Only a tiny footpath leads to the village making it impossible to take a truck there. MTM assigned one of the older MTM high school students from Madeleine the task of making a list of one name from each family in the village who would receive rice for their family. That one person would come to the Gramothe church to receive their provisions. On February 5th, a large crowd of Madeleine family representatives appeared on the basketball court just below the MTM church. Two by two the family representatives came forward when their names were called and received a bag of rice to be divided between them. 127 families were given food that they otherwise had no way of getting.

Stephen and David were able to assist Willem in the food distribution to the remote village of Boucan on February 9th. 192 more families received rice and oil through the distribution work of MTM.

On February 12th, a family representative from each of the villages of Planchet, Tala and Depense gathered at the church in Gramothe to receive rice and oil. The villagers cooperated so well that Willem was able to give rice to two villages simultaneously, enabling the distribution to move quickly. The people were able to return to their homes before the night settled. 250 more families were served that evening.

From Willem and Beth: Together on behalf of the Haitian people, we are grateful for the donors that are helping to make these kinds of food distributions possible.

From The Red Thread Promise: Thank you for showing your love of humankind by supporting The Red Thread Promise's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.

Haiti trip

You may have noticed that the posts this week are still coming from the US. Our trip to Gramothe, Haiti, was originally planned for January 30 - February 5 to complete our second week of the ESL program. However, due to the unrest in Haiti following the earthquake, our hosts at Mountain Top Ministries (MTM) requested that we wait a few more weeks before visiting.

In the words of Willem and Beth: At this time, Haiti is far too volatile and MTM cannot guarantee provisions nor security for our groups [visitors]. WE STILL NEED YOU! Please, we ask that you stand ready to come and that you would stand with us in prayer to make wise decisions about Mountain Top Ministries teams that travel to Haiti.

In a short while, all of the aid will leave Haiti, but the people will continue to desperately need your care and assistance. There will still be much work to do.

• Please, do what you can where you are at to keep people praying for Haiti and giving toward the purchase of medical supplies, food and building materials. Encourage Red Thread supporters to do the same. MTM is totally engaged in relief aid at this time. Again, we must all be busy doing what we can, where we are.
• Please, pray, pray, pray and pray some more for this little country. We are confident that God is in control. We can never encompass the scope of His plan, but we trust that He has one and we will continue to be obedient to what He has called us to do.

Thank you for your faithfulness to this ministry, we can't do it without you. We deeply appreciate your friendship as well as your partnership for the glory of God in Haiti.

And that's just what The Red Thread Promise has been doing: praying, coordinating Christopher's care, helping to identify potential adoptive families for Rivers of Hope's orphans, collecting much needed supplies that we will hand carry in suitcases when we travel to Haiti, and (of course) raising money to send to MTM and ROH. We have already sent over $6,000 to Willem, Beth and Rachoul so they can purchase the supplies they need for Mountain Top Ministries and Rivers of Hope orphanage. And the donations keep coming.

Please take heed to Willem and Beth's request and continue to support Haiti through your prayers and donations to The Red Thread Promise. Our plan prior to the earthquake was to create a long-term relationship with the country of Haiti. This plan has not changed. Our support of the Haitian people will not wane with time, when the earthquake is no longer a top news story. Rest assured, we will be there, on the ground, working with the orphans, providing medical care and teaching English for many years to come.

Wheelchair Promise Program

The Red Thread Promise is coming to the aid of those who have been immobilized by the loss of a limb from the earthquake by bringing all terrain wheelchairs to Haiti.

According to CNN, "Haiti's earthquake is creating 'a generation of amputees,' something that will pose a challenge for Haitian society for years to come... The number of amputees created by the disaster is hard to measure, but Handicap International estimates it is at least 2,000 and growing. Dr. Mitra Roses of the Pan American Healthy Organization said some hospitals were performing between 30 and 100 amputations a day after the earthquake... Amputations in Haiti are especially difficult for patients because so many people get around on foot or by bicycle. Sidewalks and roads are poor and wheelchairs, crutches and canes are few." (photo above is from CNN) Read more.

There is a major need for wheelchairs in Port au Prince and surrounding areas due to the rapid increase in amputees, especially in the mountainous areas. While beautiful, the mountains are a constant obstacle to impoverished children, adults and seniors attempting to maneuver through the rough terrain. All terrain wheelchairs can provide a life changing experience for these people. A bit about the chairs:

• Rugged all-purpose manually powered vehicle
• Suitable for a wide range of use; from hospitals to city streets to off-road terrain
• Heavy duty construction ideal for passage over rocks, potholes, bomb craters and steep ascents and descents characteristic of the road and path ways where it is most critically needed
• Easily disassembled and re-assembled for ease of transportation as well as repair
• Common bicycle wheels and other readily available parts are used as replacements
• Replaceable cushion reduces or eliminates body sores

It is our goal to send an entire 20 ft container of wheelchairs to Mountain Top Ministries (MTM). MTM has a well-equipped workshop at their facility and is eager to provide their expertise by training Haitians how to assemble and completely maintain the wheelchairs.

In order to meet this lofty goal, we need your support.

Each chair costs $250 for an adult or a child. Optional features include:

• Hand brake mounted on armrest: $25.00
• Speed governor set at 15 MPH: $35.00
• Lumbar profile accessory: $30.00
• Repair kit: $75.00
• 3-Year maintenance program: $225

Please consider donating to The Red Thread Promise to make this goal a reality for the disabled people of Haiti. Our mailing address, Global Giving and PayPal buttons are on the right in the sidebar. Mark your donation with "wheelchair" in the subject line.

It's A Small World After All...

Yes, that song is humming through my mind right now. As I am still trying to catch up on emails, I ran across links sent to me a few days ago to 2 different news articles that I'd like to share with you.

Chicago-Area Volunteers Treat Hundreds in Haiti (WLS-TV Chicago)

North Shore Medical Team in Haiti Pressed into Action (Chicago Tribune)

Both are about the amazing 23 person medical team from Chicago that was serving at Mountain Top Ministries while Kathy was there teaching ESL classes. She was blessed to meet all of the members of the group since their trips overlapped by several days and they were sharing the same space. The energetic team remained in Haiti after Kathy wrapped up the first week of English classes and returned to the US. Little did the team members know how much their services would be needed in the coming days.

The group was led by Sue Walsh, a dynamic lady that The Red Thread Promise was privileged to meet in July 2009. She was hosting a fundraiser for (drumroll please...) Mountain Top Ministries. The event happened to be over the same weekend that TRTP was having a board meeting in Chicago. At the fundraiser, the TRTP board met Willem, his wife Beth and their sons in person for the first time. [Pictured from left to right: Sonja (TRTP), Jen (TRTP), Laney (TRTP), Willem (MTM), Kathy (TRTP), Doug (TRTP)] Their energy was infectious and their passion for Willem's home country, Haiti, was overwhelming. It was an evening to remember and so I did tonight, over 6 months later.

I find these kind of coincidences and ironies comforting in a way. It reinforces in my mind that there truly is a red thread of destiny connecting us all. If only we are willing to grasp it and keep an open mind as to where it may lead. That same red thread is pulling us to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti. If you feel the tug of the unseen thread, please consider contributing to our Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. Our mailing address, Global Giving and PayPal buttons are on the right in the sidebar. Mark your donation with "earthquake" in the subject line and 100% of the donation will go directly to Haiti.

Today's News from Haiti

Well, there hasn't been much news today from our contacts in Haiti.

This morning, Willem said: "Singing on the mountain again tonight. No internet all day—absolutely no communications today (nerve racking!). Had a hard tremor at about 4:00. We have 13 children (15 counting Stephen & David) on our living room floor sleeping tonight. The children became frightened after the tremor & the nanny needed to find out about her own family. We have food, water & are safe. Please continue to pray."

Later this afternoon he stated that people are literally sleeping in the streets because they are so afraid of the tremors. More patients made the long trek to Mountain Top Ministries' gates today in search of medical treatment. It is heartbreaking that the hospitals are turning people away because they have no supplies.

According to NPR news, there will be a series of health aftershocks in Haiti. Experts expect that many more people will die from untreated injuries and complications from injuries. There may be a second wave of deaths caused by lack of clean water, housing and sanitation. Finally, another wave will ensue when food runs out. (For the full story, visit NPR.)

Please pray that necessities like clean water, food and medical supplies are provided to those in need. Thankfully, our contacts are okay, but thousands of people are not. If you would like to make a difference and help get those supplies to the Haitian people, please make a donation to our Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. As always, the mailing address, Global Giving and PayPal buttons are on the right in the sidebar. Mark your donation with "earthquake" in the subject line and the funds will go directly to Haiti.

And, most importantly, keep Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.

Earthquake Update

It is Wednesday morning and we have more news from Willem:

1/13/10

1:00 am

After shocks stopped for a while but they're starting back up again. The church in Gramothe is all lit up & the whole village must be there praising the Lord! Talk about a city on a hill!

1/13/10

4:20 am

The team returned at about 2AM, exhausted physically & emotionally. They were able to help at least 100 people w/severe trauma injuries. We are grateful for your prayers, please do not stop. Morning will bring more for us to face.

The Red Thread Promise has set up a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. We will send any contributions marked "earthquake" directly to Mountain Top Ministries and Rivers of Hope Orphanage. While we may not be there to physically to help, we can certainly make a difference by allowing both organizations to purchase food and supplies for those in need. Our mailing address and PayPal button are on the right. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Get the latest at NPR News. There is a photo gallery there of some of the devastation (image above is from NPR). Viewer discretion is advised.

Please continue to keep Haiti, it's people—its' visitors, its' government, its' orphans—in your thoughts and prayers.

Earthquake in Haiti

As you all know, Kathy just returned from Haiti on Friday from a week of teaching English at the Mountain Top Ministries School. The plan for tonight's post was to give a summary of the week. But that post will have to wait since the more pressing issue at hand is the tremendous earthquake that hit Haiti this afternoon.

At 5:40 I received a call from a TRTP supporter alerting us of the breaking news in Haiti. Since we were on our way to celebrate my son's 9th birthday, my husband's iPhone became an even hotter commodity than usual as we kept checking NRP for more details. My phone was ringing off the hook from concerned supporters throughout the meal and the drive home.

"Have you heard from Rivers of Hope and Mountain Top Ministries?"

"Is everyone okay?"

"Do you know any details about the hospital that collapsed?"

Thankfully, the second we reached home there were many emails from Kathy. Although the phone lines to Haiti were constantly busy, she was able to get email through to Rachoul (Rivers of Hope).

1/12/10 @ 6:09 pm

Thank GOD everything is ok at the orphanage. I didn't want to leave them [the children] here, so I am still there [at the orphanage]. The problem is we still feel the earthquake [tremors] every 5 minutes. It never stopped. I think it the 20th one we feel. I don't know what is happening but it's something frightening. We don't know what can happen.

I heard that lots of building were damage. But we are in good shape. The children are playing. Dayana and Xavier just left the hospital today finally.

Willem and Beth are ok.the team is ok. Now they are helping people from Gramothe, because their houses are damaged.

Thank you for your concern.

Blessings
Rachel

I then checked FaceBook and Willem (Mountain Top Ministries) has been posted. Thank God for technology!

1/12/10 @ 7:51pm

Pray for Haiti tonight. Our family & guests are fine. Our structures are fine. The med team has been mobilized to help at the Bap. Mission hospital. It will be a long night for them. Please pray for their stamina & ability to endure what is before them. Phone lines are down, no communication except for those crying for their dead. Thank you all in advance for your prayers.

1/12/10 @ 8:00pm

Phone lines seem to be opening, but not fully. Have had 2 light tremors over the last hour. It may be a while before any new news.There is much that will be revealed in the morning light. Right now it's dark but people are still crying out in the night.

1/12/10 @ 9:00pm

The Gramothe church is open & there is singing up there. Another local church is having a singing service. Praise God! The tremors still continue.

Please keep all of the people from Haiti in your prayers. There is much work to be done in the coming days and months.

You can find the latest on the earthquake from NPR News.