Haiti Earthquake Relief

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Haiti suffered the strongest earthquake in more than 200 years. The 7.0-magnitude- tremor destroyed communications making it impossible to tell the extent of destruction — or to estimate the number of dead lying among thousands of collapsed buildings in Haiti's capital of about two million people. 32 after shocks continued the destruction. Most of Haiti's 9 million people are desperately poor so the country will need significant outside aid to recover. UN workers are limited and government services are in disarray, it really appears that the first stage of relief will only come from civilian and faith-based workers.

With thanks to God, all of our missionaries and area pastors are reporting that they are unharmed. But the stories they send by email about injury, death and destruction are almost overwhelming. Pastor Steve Igo writes, “One missionary couple watched their three story school building in Port-au-Prince collapse to the ground. Praise God it occurred at 4:53 PM when all the children were gone. Another missionary couple has many injured and dead lying in their front yard, while they try to get some sleep on the bottom floor of their home with neighbors and a visiting mission teams tonight. A mission team of American doctors and nurses who ‘happened’ to be in Haiti this week are busy working with the sick and injured. I am 15 miles north of this devastation with missionaries Ben and Heather Hopp, and I can only imagine how sleepless and distressing the night in Port-au-Prince will be. We were on pins and needles, especially when after-shocks began to intensify between 8 and 9 PM in the evening. Were people shouting and panicking in Port-au-Prince when the earth rumbled yet again?”

The Committee on Diaconal Ministries is able to channel relief monies to needy believers in this land. Our OPC missionaries on site will oversee this aide. Information as we have it will be updated and posted for information and for prayer. There will be further information available for relief teams going down to help.

Donations to CDM can be sent to the OPC address in Willow Grove. Clearly indicate the gift is for CDM / Haiti earthquake.

Rev. Ronald E. Pearce Secretary Committee on Diaconal Ministries

______Correspondence or Inquiries Orthodox Presbyterian Church Committee on Diaconal Ministries Committee on Diaconal Ministries Rev. Ronald Pearce, Secretary Box P Church of the Covenant Willow Grove, PA 19090-0920 319 Blau Road Phone: 215-830-0900 Hackettstown, NJ 07840-5227 Phone: 908-850-8910 Please be sure to clearly designate contributions. Email: [email protected] Financial Contributions