Rowan SBA Haiti Disaster Relief Trip 1
January 18th - 30th,
2010
Originally, RSBA had a planned mission trip to
Haiti. We were to leave the last weeks of January and help folks in Les
Layes. This was not to be.
On Tuesday,
January 12th at 4:53 PM (Haitian Time), an Earthquake measuring 7.0
hit just 15 miles West of Port-au Prince, Haiti. The reported effects were
as follows:
"Severe damage and casualties in the Port-au-Prince
area.
Felt throughout Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in Turks and Caicos
Islands, southeastern Cuba, eastern Jamaica, in parts of Puerto Rico and
the Bahamas, and as far as Tampa, Florida and Caracas, Venezuela. "
The region continues to receive aftershocks. As recent
as
January 20th, a quake measuring 6.1 occurred 60 miles west of
Port-au-Prince
After the quake, we began to re-think our efforts. The
port was closed. Air flights shutdown. We began to plan for a different
type of mission trip.
While many needs remained the same, our location,
transportation and even personal necessities would be vastly different.
After a series of quick planning meetings, we began to move. Brent Barker,
and three others are traveling ahead of the group to assess the situations
for our Rowan Team.
Rowan Southern Baptist Association Earthquake 2010
Disaster Relief
January 18 - 30, 2010
-
First Team of three on the ground
1/20/10 in Jimani, Dominican Republic carrying medicine and preparation
support team.
-
Second Team arrives 1/21/10 with medical supplies, nurse,
and support team.
Watch Mike & Sandy's WGHP Interview and
second interview.
-
Third Team from MS arrives 1/22/10.
Team 1
"Track Gene, Brent, Ryan and Matt's flight to Haiti on
1/20/2010. Wheels up at 7:30am from Orlando Executive Airport.
Click
Here or goto
www.flightaware.com and follow directions. Our plane is identified by
the flight tail number below. Flight Tail # N6168N.
Note: Plane will not track on radar all the time because of transition
from one radar tower to the other. So, do not panic if you loose radar
site of the plane.
To God Be the Glory,"
Brent
Latest update: Team 1 has landed (unsure if yesterday, Jan
20 or today, Jan 21). Never less, Brent was on-hand to greet Team 2 as
they landed in San Domingo around noon. Now for a 4 hour journey to the
camp at Jimani.
Aftershocks continue in the region... as recent as a 4.8 just 50 miles
west of Port-au-Prince!
Please Note: UTC (or GMT) is 5 hours ahead
of EST and Haitian Time, but the Dominican Republic is 1 hour faster than
in Haiti. So, subtract 5 for Haitian Time and subtract 4 for Dominican
Republic Time.
Check out
WGHP Online Coverage
US Geological Survey's Assessment of
possible future aftershocks.
Map of the locations of
Haiti aftershocks.
Update from Brent's wife, Laura (On Saturday, January
23rd)
"I wanted to give you an update from the team in Haiti. I
spoke with Brent last night after they had experienced a sizeable
*aftershock. He told me that the orphans in the nearby orphanage were
jumping off the balcony, and the patients in the triage tent were
screaming and ripping the IV's out of their arms. There is also a nearby
chapel that they have set up as recovery and a safe haven. They were
forced to evacuate the chapel and all the people are now forced to stay
out on the street. Brent says it is hard, very, very hard. Thank you for
all your prayers. Let's pray that the Lord who calms the seas will calm
the earth. Pray that they doctor's can get adequate rest, and that the
team can bring the spiritual, physical and emotional comfort that is so
desperately needed."
Laura
*The 4.4 aftershock mentioned happened Friday and was
located about 10 miles
WSW of Port-au-Prince.
Since that time, several other aftershocks have occurred
in the area. They could continue for months.
Latest report (January 27) from Brent D Barker
(Associational Missionary) via Mary Jones.
I just received a phone call from Pastor Brent and I
wanted to share some of the news directly from Haiti.
They are currently working with the Jimani Hospital
Project feeding between 800 and 1000 patients. They pick up the meals from
a government type “feeding unit” twice a day. Others like, Carolyn B.
clean outside toilets, in addition to other tasks. Sandy M. is a nurse and
is working to organize the hospital’s pharmacy. She works 7am -7pm daily.
They are able to worship with the patients at night
and MANY HAVE BEEN SAVED! Praise the Lord!
Yes, they have felt aftershocks, but everyone on the
team is well; just very tired.
During one aftershock, they saw 2 panicked patients jump from the 2nd
floor of a building. One man broke his back, they do not know any more on
his condition. Currently the occupants of that building are sleeping on
the ground.
The majority of the team will be returning on
Saturday. They are scheduled to arrive into the Charlotte Airport, about
1:30pm. Brent, Ryan and Matthew will be coming back on the small plane.
They are due in on Saturday…weather permitting.
Mary
(January 27)
Calling all Prayer Warriors,
Now is the time to Really Intercede. Tomorrow night, January 28th,
the team is going to have a worship service for all the staff. Brent will
be leading this one. He
says to specifically pray for a man named Rich. Jim Harris witnessed to
him today and he is really close to accepting Christ. There are people
from Canada, Ireland, Spain, the USA and more. This could be a spiritual
awakening that will go forth and SHAKE the World. Just like the
Ethiopian man, whom Phillip Baptized, went back to his home and won his
world to Christ. Pray again for Pentecostal Power! Also, pray that the
team will get home safely this weekend. I know that they have been
sweating profusely this week, but I don't think they want to fly into snow
and ice. God has blessed this team and the people of Haiti, through
everyone of your prayers. Thank you.
In Christ Love,
Laura
An update from Pat Harris:
Weather in Haiti is particularly hot today. Jim said it is
taking a toll on everyone. Hottest day so far. Pray for some relief from
the weather.
Jim preached last night, several accepted the Lord. God is Good!!!
Jim and some others went into Port of Prince on Monday to take supplies to
other missionaries. They returned to their campsite the same day. They
have not moved yet to Port of Prince and are still at the campsite close
to the border. Everyone is staying very busy.
Pat did not get to talk to him very long. They lost their signal.
Lighter note: One of Jim's interpreters is named Moses. Gotta love that.
Jim is using his phone to call out and then pays him for the call.
Please continue to pray for the Haitians, the team and all the other
groups that have gone in to help, and their families.
Latest update...
Brent's team will try to fly out on Friday as the weather
in NC may get bad this weekend. This will be those who flew in with him.
Keep them all in your prayers.
While our team has been based in Jimani in the Dominican
Republic, focus has been in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Please be
aware the Dominican Republic, too, has been experiencing quakes. The
latest being a
3.7 quake January 29 at 8:22 pm (local time) located just 90 miles east of Santa
Domingo (that's the location of the Airport where Team 2 arrived and shall
depart).
We arrived safely back in Salisbury on Sunday afternoon,
January 31.
All team members are safe and accounted for.
I am attaching a web link of the Southern Baptist Missionaries, Sam and
Delores York who are working at the Jimani Project Hospital in Jimami,
Dominican Republic. This is the Hospital our team deployed to for our
mission to Haiti.
http://www.ruralhaititeam.org
This website gives firsthand prayer updates on the continuing Haiti
Earthquake work there.
Brent
Please pray for a Group of Christian Brothers & Sisters
helping in Haiti. This group has been arrested for trying to help a group
of children. Click
Here for the Associated Press story.
Team 1: Gene, Ryan, Matt and Brent
Latest News interview (Salisbury Post)
Check out the dynamics of the
quake.
Other Efforts:
Jimani Project
Hospital (Hispaniola Haiti Team)
Baptists
on Missions
Red Cross in Haiti
