Right now we have three Hope Force chaplains reaching out through the efforts of the University of Miami Hospital in Port-au-Prince. One week after the devastating January 12 earthquake, UM established an invaluable urgent care center where thousands of patients have found refuge, help and life-saving care. Located directly adjacent to the capital city’s airport, the field hospital serves as a beacon of hope for the Haitian people. We are privileged to have our chaplains working alongside the staff to provide hope and healing for patients and their families, and to offer emotional support for the staff members themselves.

 

Often, the ministry of presence revolves around one word:  service. Our chaplains know the meaning of this -- whether it involves serving the needs of hospital staff or whether it means emptying a bed-pan or cleaning a wound. All aspects of service convey Jesus’ heart of compassion for our world.

 

The Hope Force Shelter Initiative is being met with great interest on behalf of churches and individuals around the United States. Our goal is 300 tents for 300 families. This project will target the rural village of Sous Savanne, which is near the city of Leogane – the epicenter of the earthquake. Most of the village’s 2,100 inhabitants are living in an open field due to the property damage in town. The Emergency Disaster Relief Tents designated for the project are made of a strong, tear-resistant fabric and are manufactured exclusively for relief agencies. The average family in Haiti comprises seven people, including parents, children and extended family. Purchasing, delivering and distributing one of our tents costs $475 – an average cost of less than $70 per person. Click here to support the project.

 

We often hear the question, “Can Haiti ever recover from this disaster?” We firmly believe that God’s heart toward Haiti is to create a scenario where they are stronger than ever – socially, economically, spiritually, and relationally. This will not happen, however, without hard work and commitment both on our part and on the part of Haiti’s people.  

 

In the early stages of the disaster response efforts, we saw people asking us to just come in and “fix it” for them. This is perfectly normal in the aftermath of such an extreme event. After the initial shock of the disaster wore off, people had a desire to regain control of their surroundings but their desire quickly exceeded their capacity. We believe it is going to be a challenge to confront the needs that lie before us but God, in and through us, is capable of regaining a hold of this nation for His purposes.

 

Our training initiatives continue to bring us closer to our goal of 1,000 active reservists prepared and ready to respond to people in need around the world. Our Nashville event brought in 23 participants from eight different states. Nurses, pastors, truckers, business owners, stay-at-home moms – all have something to contribute. Interested in joining us for a Hope Force Training Intensive? May 20-22 in Fort Worth is your next opportunity. Click here for more information.

 

Thank you for supporting our efforts to reach people in need around the world.