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| Earthquake devastation in Port au Prince, Haiti. |
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| Vision of Hope Ministries, Inc.
Haiti Earthquake Response Proposal for Partners
February 22, 2010
The EarthquakeThe earthquake of January 12, 2010 devastated a major portion of the city of Port au Prince (PaP) and surrounding areas. Much of the existing infrastructure of the country was destroyed, including government, medical and educational institutions. The loss of life and suffering is indescribable. It is estimated that at least 500,000 refugees have left the city and at least 250,000 of these have moved to the Cap Haitian area in N. Haiti. Many of the earthquakes victims were airlifted to the Hopital Sacre-Coeur, a 75-bed acute care facility in Milot, about 5 miles from VOHM ministry center in Berard. This hospital swelled to over 400 earthquake patients-many who lost one or more limbs. There are also many orphaned children as a consequence of this calamity. The culture of Haiti is such that young people from the outlying villages and cities move to Port au Prince to become educated and start businesses. The earthquake destroyed most of the universities and businesses in PaP. Consequently, VOHM is seeing an exodus from PaP back into our ministry area by refugee students, orphans, and homeless people. Many are staying with friends and families who can barely support themselves much less provide food or financial resources for these additional refugees. In addition, we have a large number of medical refugees from the surrounding hospitals that will need rehabilitation, prosthetics, and help reentering Haitian society. VOHM’s ResponseThe scope and nature of this nationwide disaster can be crippling if one is unable to focus on the areas in which God has gifted and empowered our ministry. There are three initiatives in any disaster: relieve, restore and rebuild. VOHM participated in the initial relief response by evacuating people from PaP, facilitating and providing many medical specialists and supplies to help with the immense load of airlifted patients from PaP to Milot, and with initial trauma counseling. The scope and nature of our next phase of response will center on restoring and rebuilding not only physical infrastructure but also lives as we reach out in compassion and offer hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. To read this complete report, please click here.
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| Orphaned before the quake; homeless orphans after the quake. |
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| Earthquake victims were airlifted north to receive treatment. |
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| Vision of Hope Ministries, Inc. (VOHM) is the mission support organization in the United States for Evangelical Free Church planting in northern Haiti. Our purpose is to provide administrative, spiritual, and financial support for our field missionaries, Henoc and Guerline Lucien, and local Haitian Christians working alongside them in the city of Cap Haitien, Haiti and surrounding areas. VOHM currently supports three Evangelical Free Churches located in Cap Haitien, Berard, and Grande Riviere du Nord. College Susan Schuenke, a pre-K through grade 13 Christian day school located in Cap Haitien, is also supported by VOHM. Click here to read more...
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