Update 1/26
Leave a commentJanuary 26, 2010 by nhhm
Friends of NHHM:
I can’t believe it has been 6 days since we last updated. The days seem to run into each other. I have not slept much here, and I know that sleep is hard to get for the team in Haiti. We downloaded Skype the other night- it has really helped in communication. As I sat there listening to Scott I heard the following things: crickets/frogs, a loud scream (which he told me is a cat in heat), dogs barking (because a cat is in heat), a rooster crowing (because the dogs barking a cat in heat woke it up), a jet plane, and the faint scratching of rats in the trash. I was amazed that our kids were able to sleep at all outside with all the noise! He said the most difficult part of being outside is the mosquitos. But perhaps, all these things are nothing in comparison of the things the team sees as they go each day to help.
Scott has continued to take supplies to other orphanages that do not have the ability to get it for themselves. Many have not received the aid that has come in. He noted in one of his tweets on Day 10 that things were shifting from shock and horror to hunger and infection. The people are displaced in the streets or tent cities, and unable to get food. Scott says they are beginning to show signs of hostility. Now gunfire, even rapid gunfire, is going on in our neighborhood at night. As you know, our back property wall fell in the quake. This is a big security risk for us. People who are hungry will soon turn to stealing and orphanages have always been targets because people know that we have larger amounts of food/supplies and a lifeline to the United States. Please continue to pray for the children/staff’s protection.
The guys have also continued to help with Heartline Ministries This group has been doing great things in Haiti for 20 years. Their clinic is helping so many people that are seriously injured. Scott has been driving the “ambulance” for them- ok, so it is a truck. One trip he was in the back with a woman with a broken pelvis. She was screaming in agony as they had to go off road to reach the flight evacuation place for the US Comfort. He said he couldn’t shake that scream that night.
On the way back, they drove through downtown Port-au-Prince and were once again in shock. Scott described it as hell on earth, devastation everywhere. It really is beyond our comprehension. The future of Haiti looks so bleak when you consider the loss. But we continue to put our hope in God. We pray that His kingdom will be established there.
Special thanks to Mat Fisher and his nephew, Dan, who came this past weekend and brought supplies and for also serving the people of Haiti and our NHHM kids. We also welcomed Dr. Jim Hamilton tonight. He has come to serve at the clinic. We know his skills are greatly needed here.
t is really hard to know where God will lead us next. We have been working so hard here in Richmond to get the children here in temporary host homes. Scott has custody of the children and we hope to bring them here so that we can regroup, raise money, and rebuild a great facility for the kids/staff. Most of our staff have lost their houses so we want to help them to rebuild. The problem for us is that there has been no statements issued by the State Dept. to give us legal passage. Because we are not adopting these children out (only one child was in process), we are trying to find out which visa we should apply for but there is not a lot of information for our situation. Today we attempted to get Haitian passports but they were not printing them. We have already gotten all of our host families- most of them here in Virginia and a few in Kentucky and Missouri. We ask that you continue to pray for this situation. There is a lot of red tape, as you know, and we want to present our case with integrity and in a timely fashion. Only God can open this door.
Thank you to everyone for giving. Financially we would not be able to do what we are doing without such generous supporters. Without your prayers we would surely fail. I feel “thank you” is not enough as I look at each thoughtful note and gift you have given.
Hopefully the next update won’t take so long!
In His Grip,
April
