Friends, since we shared our last blog post, the situation in Haiti has deteriorated rapidly. It is hard to believe that it was a week ago Pastor Steeve shared that we were back to normal operations. All of that changed the very next day - February 29.
For my perspective from February 29 - March 3, please read the following on my personal website:
Since I exited Haiti on Sunday, the situation has been increasingly volatile, particularly in our community because we are in close proximity to the airport. Information is coming in rapidly, and we do not have answers to many questions at this point.
One thing Haiti has taught me through the years is to wait and not react too quickly to changing circumstances, and that is what we are doing now. We are in a period of waiting.
It is not safe to be out in the streets, and the streets are, by and large, empty, including the street in front of the community center, that many of you know so well.
The boys are also safely at their house with Hudson, and he is providing structured daily activities for them. They are in good hands.
International press coverage has been relatively accurate, though not as thorough as local news sources. We continue to monitor both. We encourage you to search out Haiti news for yourselves from reliable sources such as The Miami Herald or CNN, both of which generally tell the stories of Haiti well without sensationalizing the facts.
Our priority at the moment is the safety and well-being of all members of Haiti Awake, adults and children alike. When the situation becomes more tenable, we will begin to assess how best to respond to needs within our community. We are currently on standby, as we do not yet know when it will be both safe and appropriate to act.
I want to encourage you to pray for our boys at CERMICOL. CERMICOL is the only prison in Port-au-Prince that has not been attacked by gangs, but it is vulnerable and over-crowded at the moment. Haiti Awake staff continues to maintain contact with the administration there.
I also want to encourage you to remain faithful in your commitment to the ministry. Haiti is a hard place, and I know first-hand how discouraging it is sometimes as it seems there is a constant cycle of need and emergency.
I want to remind you that Jesus is Worth It. This video which we filmed roughly a year ago for The Bridge Church still rings true today.
John’s words in Revelation are so precious at this time:
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
(Rev. 21:3 - 4 & 22:20)