The 2010 earthquake brought widespread devastation in the Port-au-Prince area of Haiti. Although four of our representatives were on the ground when the earthquake struck, all returned to the States unharmed. We believe there is hope for Haiti, even at this crucial time.
For more information about the effects of the earthquake on our work in Haiti, as well as the blessings God brought out of it, see the updates below, beginning in June 2010 and going back to the time of the quake.
New Believers and a New Church, June 16
Pastor Samson recently sent the following report:
"Since the earthquake in Haiti, we have some of our churches that have grown. Boston City, which had 40 people on Sunday mornings, now has 110 attending. Bonnet has had many who have come and been converted and now has 90 in attendance. At Delmas 6, we are now considering buying chairs because the benches are not sufficient. We are working now to see what we can do. At Delmas 32, some of the people's houses have been destroyed. The State has sent them away so they cannot come at night, but they try to come on Sunday mornings. We believe the work is advancing.
"Now we have a new church at the City of Belladere. . . [it] has over 70 people. I believe this is a great work.
"You will give a whole lot of thanks to everyone who has given, if it was one penny, to help the Haitians."
Revived Churches and Miracles, April 23
Last Sunday, about 500 people worshiped together at the Delmas 6 church, and about 120 people worshiped together in a nearby suburb, Cite Boston. Thank God for many who are hungering after Him!
Pastor Samson said that the Cite Boston church, led by Pastor Rony, is full on Thursdays as people pray and fast. Last week, God raised two people from the dead at the Thursday meeting! Praise God!
Haitians Receiving Filters, Tents, and Tarps, April 19
Tents and Tarps Released! April 9
We were glad to hear from Pastor Samson that the tents and tarps sent to provide needed shelter were finally released from customs without fee. Praise God! His plan was to distribute them to people this Sunday.
Praises and Prayer Requests, April 8
Notes of Praise:
~ A class is being held on Tuesday evenings for new converts.
~ On Saturday, April 3, 21 new converts were baptized! Around 200 new believers have been added to our 4 churches in the Port-au-Prince area since the earthquake.
~ On Easter Sunday, April 4, approximately 1,000 people worshiped together in our Delmas 6 church! Praise God!
Requests for Prayer:
~ Ninety-seven tents and 50 tarps were sent to Haiti, but they got stuck in customs for several weeks. Pastor Samson is hoping they will be released this week.
~ Government officials came to the Delmas 6 church and mission home to test whether they are structurally sound. The church passed fine, but the mission home cannot be inhabited yet until some repairs are made, including tearing down the children's chapel that has been added to the roof of the home. Please pray that these repairs may be made as inexpensively as possible.
~ William Hatcher has been working, with the advice of Silas McGehee and Mark Surbrook, to put together a container filled with supplies for the Haitians. The container would include food items, food mills, stoves, hand tools, etc. There are many details to work out, including the shipment of the container; please pray that it will be able to arrive soon in Haiti. Also, please pray that it will not get stuck in customs and that we will not be charged customs fees.
100 Free Water Filters and Tents on Hold, March 29
Our people in Haiti were given 100 free water filters from Filter Pure, which has an office in the Dominican Republic. The filters are ceramic inserts that fit into 5-gallon buckets and remove 99.9% of bacteria. Thank God for this gift! These should provide clean water for about 100 households!
The tents and tarps have arrived in Haiti; however, they were shipped in Pastor Samson's name, and customs is holding them for a fee. Pastor Samson has filled out paperwork, and we have sent a letter stating they were a donation and were meant to be given away. Your prayers for this situation are appreciated.
Highlights, March 15
Since the earthquake, 198 new converts have been added to our 4 churches in the Port-au-Prince area! People have been put into place to disciple these new believers.
Ninety-seven tents and 50 tarps should arrive in Haiti today. These will provide needed shelter as the rainy season is quickly approaching.
Various items are being purchased--such as food, food mills, stoves, etc.--to be shipped to Haiti in a container.
Update from Pastor Samson, February 26
Pastor Samson wrote on Wednesday this week, "The catastrophe in Haiti has everyone seeking God more and more. Bonette--a church that had 30 people each Sunday--now has 80 people who attend each Sunday. At Boston, now the church is full with people in every service. Delmas 6 has 65 who converted since the quake, and each day people are converting. We are going to have a crusade in the street to preach the gospel because people are thirsty to be converted.
"Sunday we went to destroy everything in the house of a voodoo follower on Delmas 4 who was converted in the service. Yesterday we gave food at Delmas 32. We are working this week to go to give food at Bonette if God wills.
"We need prayer for those converted to stay in the Lord. Please, I beseech you, please, we are waiting for the tents because the rain is terrible. The ground continues to tremble each day. The houses are no good.
"I am praying for God to bless the World Mission Department for the work that they are donig to help peple who are having problems."
This week, money was sent to a U.S.-based company from designated funds to purchase 50 tents and 50 tarps and send them to Haiti. And, plans are to send a container of items down, as well. Thank you for your continued prayers.
God is Moving in Haiti! February 25
The latest reports from Haiti are encouraging! There are a total of 60 new converts at the Delmas 6 church, 40 at Bonette, and 40 at Boston City, a rough suburb of Port-au-Prince. In addition, all our area churches are full during services. Thank God!
Please continue to pray for many who lack adequate shelter. Many, including Pastor Samson, are staying out-of-doors, and the rainy season is coming.
New Converts! February 15
Last Friday and Saturday, special times of prayer and fasting were held in our main church at Delmas 6. The church was full of people seeking God! During these services and the Sunday services, a total of 43 souls found Jesus as their personal Savior!
Pastor Samson wrote, "We believe we can have a different country if all Haitians understand that it is God they ought to serve."
Please keep praying for Haiti!
Sunday Service, February 8
A short report came that our Delmas 6 church held church services on Sunday in the street using a PA system. A large crowd attended.
Feeding 3,000 People in Three Days, February 5
For three days last week, our church people at Delmas 6 provided food for 1,000 people each day. To purchase the food, they used funds we wired that were donated for Haiti relief.
Pastor Samson wrote, "[Thursday] we made four large pots of food for the people of Delmas 6. Today [Friday] we did the same again, and tomorrow we will finish. We can count in total for three days 1,000 each day who ate in the area. I will make photos to send to you.
"Today the American military came and took photos of us giving food. I do not know if they will help us in this.
"Tomorrow if God wills I will buy spaghetti, oil, and other things I can give the people of the church for them to fix at their homes. Next week i will do this at [our church in] Boston with Pastor Rony. . . .
"I must tell you that everyone is very happy because of what we have done in the area. This will be a big thing for the Mission. God bless you."
Our Aid Buys Food for the Hungry, February 2
National Director Pastor Samson wrote, "It is with a happy heart that I received the aid that the mission sent to us. We made efforts to touch everyone who is converted and who is not converted. I spent 20 days giving food to 35 people that were at Dos Palais with me because they could not stay in Port-au-Prince. Madam Michel was there with me. I visited many people of the Delmas 6, Delmas 32, and Boston City churches. I gave them money to help them get food for themselves.
"Thursday, the Lord willing, we are preparing food and drink to give more than 1,000 people who are on the street because it is so very difficult for them.
"Today I visited Madam Musac with others of Delmas 32. My eyes were filled with tears to see the way they have to live. When they saw me, they began to cry also. I believe God will bless each person who worked together to help the people of Haiti. Tomorrow, the Lord willing, I will go into Delmas 4 to see others who are in the church.
I" received $5,200.00 US dollars from you [including $1,000 given by Bro. McGehee before he left]. I changed it at 6.80 which gave me $35,450 Haitian dollars. I am preparing food Thursday and Friday for 1,000 people who are in shelters. I believe this will help them very much. May God bless you."
Need: Food and Water, February 1
"Pastor Samson has looked for food available for distrubition unsuccessfully," Mark Surbrook wrote on February 1. "They have not had services in the church since the major quake, nor have people slept in their homes in Port-au-P. Food and water are scarce. He was going to look more this afternoon."
Purchasing Food, January 31
Mark Surbrook wrote, "The great needs today are for food and water and shelter. (Pastor Samson) has bought food--which has doubled in price--and given some people money to get what food and water they can. He has done this for our Christians and others who are yet to give their hearts to the Lord. They have not found any free food for distribution yet."
Funds Sent to Haiti, January 27
Our National Director, Pastor Samson, wrote to Mark Surbrook on January 27. In his note he said, "I found the information about the money you sent to Haiti via Western Union. I tell you a big thank you for the people who are in great suffering. There are people who have no house to sleep in and no food to eat. It is such a great theing for you to send this money to help them. But we need a lot of prayer because God can deliver us in this. Thank you so much."
Deaths among our Church Members, January 27
News continues to arrive from Haiti. We have learned that two members of our Boston City church were killed, one man from the Delmas 32 church lost his wife and daughter, and some of our church people have severely damaged homes.
Please continue to pray.
Scheduled Flight Home, 1:30 p.m., Friday, January 15
Silas McGehee called to say he will be arriving back in Kansas City tomorrow evening, January 16. All four men should be home safely this weekend.
Representatives Continue Their Stay in Santo Domingo
10:30 a.m., Friday, January 15
Our four representatives continue their stay in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as flights home to the States were filled for today. One of the men, Paul Confer, wrote his wife, saying, "We've been crying and praising the Lord." This would surely illustrate the mix of emotions they must feel--gratitude for their safety but deep grief for the devastation they witnessed.
Silas McGehee was interviewed by phone by a Kansas City television station last evening. To read a transcript of the interview, go to http://www.kmbc.com/news/22242308/detail.html.
Church Building and Mission Home Survived! 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14
We just received further word concerning our church people and building in Port-au-Prince.
Our main church at Delmas 6 only suffered a crack in the structure, and the mission home next door suffered no damage at all! This seems miraculous, as a building next to the church collapsed. Furthermore, the church people who have been contacted are all okay.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Safe and Sound! 3:30 p.m., Thursday, January 14
The four men have arrived safely in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Silas McGehee first called his wife and then called our office to let us know. He said they were being treated like kings and were ready for a good night's rest after spending Tuesday night sleeping on the ground and Wednesday night in a chair at the Embassy.
We are so grateful for God's protection.
Fellow-traveller Paul Confer called his wife, and she sent out this message: "I just received a call from Paul—he's in a bus, heading to a hotel in Santo Domingo to spend the night, and then in the morning will work with airlines to get back to the US. He is safe but totally exhausted and overwhelmed by the terrible scenes they have witnessed. They stood out on the tarmac for 5 hours today before a US Coast Guard plane took them to Santo Domingo. They have had to sleep in the street and have seen more death than they ever want to see again. Our church (at Delmas 6) did NOT collapse, and after 20 hours they were able to go in and get their things. They were in a taxi in downtown Port-au-Prince about 15 minutes from the church when the earthquake hit. I lost connection with Paul after those details, but he will try to email later. Thank you Jesus!"
News from Haiti, Thursday morning, January 14
We received an email today saying it was from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with a message from Bro. McGehee: "I am ok, and will contact you later."
Paul Confer's wife, Lois, received a text message from him within the last hour, saying that the four men--he, Silas McGehee, Mark Surbrook, and Bill Hatcher--were unhurt and being evacuated by the U. S. Embassy to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where they will change their plane tickets to return home.
These messages are good news after an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit Haiti Tuesday afternoon while the men were there on a missions trip.
We have been warned that scams do exist and that email messages are not the normal protocol for the U.S. State Department. However, as we receive more information, we are increasingly optimistic that the men will soon be home safely.
Thank you very much to each one who has prayed and expressed concern. Please pray that these men would arrive safely back in the States, and please continue to remember our Haitian brothers and sisters who must live through the aftermath of this tragic earthquake.
