UPDATE – January 22
As the reports of devastation in Haiti continue to grow, we have achieved limited communication with a couple of our pastors on the ground. The situation is desperate. The number one priority is still food in the towns outside of Port-au-Prince. While there are bulk pallets of food coming into the airport, the distribution to outlying communities is lacking. A pastor from Virginia called me today, in tears, because the orphanage that they support has been calling them, begging for help to feed the children. He heard that we were taking food into Haiti next week and asked if we would bring some to his orphanage which is north of Port-au-Prince and outside of current relief efforts. I agreed. We are flying into the Dominican Republic Tuesday, and trucking bulk quantities of food to some of the outlying communities that have not been reached.
PLEASE MAKE A DONATION FOR HAITI RELIEF NOW!
I have been in regular contact with our National Coordinator, Benite Jeune. As you know, he miraculously escaped death and crawled out of the rubble when the university in Port-au-Prince collapsed. Returning to his home and mission compound in Vignier, he discovered that everything was gone… including the four-story school classroom building for 600+ children. By the grace of God, everyone escaped with their lives but all the buildings appear damaged beyond repair. Benite, his wife, and little boy are living in a tent, like everyone else, surviving on basic necessities. He says food is scarce and desperately wants to help the families of the children in the school. He is meeting us in Santa Domingo, and we are buying food and supplies to strategically take to communities that are outside the Port-au-Prince relief area.
YOUR DONATION FOR FOOD WILL HELP FEED THE HUNGRY!
Bishop Joel and Doris Jeune are working hard in Miami, arranging for shipments of food, medical and pharmacy supplies. Yesterday, 13 pallets of these critical supplies were shipped into Port-au-Prince and Jonny Jeune just confirmed to me, on the phone, that the supplies are now in Carrefour, at the Mission compound, being processed and distributed to the people. Pastor Luke Weaver, Jr., traveled with the shipment on a U.S. military cargo plane. God bless the U.S.A.! Bishop Joel is currently working on the details of what is necessary to bring our precious orphans into the United States on a temporary visa for loving care while living facilities in Haiti are restored. Our orphan children are presently living outside and in shipping containers. Funds will be needed for transportation and logistics. You may give here on-line through Gospel Crusade, Inc / www.ChristianRetreat.org, or through Grace International, Inc. at www.graceintl.org
CLICK HERE AND MAKE YOUR DONATION NOW FOR HAITI RELIEF
At Christian Retreat in Bradenton, Florida, we are rallying the troops. Supplies and support are coming in from everywhere. The South Side Village Merchants Association from Sarasota is on board with a benefit charity next week, where numerous businesses are giving a percentage of their gross income on a particular day. This weekend, we have a Haiti Relief booth in the National Lung Association Street Fair. A major donation of toys is on the way and Jannette and I are traveling across the state today to pick up a supply of hygiene products, blankets, and 15,000 pounds of clothing to ship to Haiti. We are directing all donations of supplies to Christian Retreat for packing and loading into 40’ containers and then shipping on to Haiti. If you can get supplies to us, we will get them to Haiti. Thanks for all you are doing to relieve the suffering in Haiti.
Pastor Phil Derstine
