I’ve been home for just a week now…..In that week I have been working so hard to collect my thought and emotions from my time in Port au Prince. I think the hardest reality is knowing that even in telling stories and trying to explain everything our team experienced, unless you’ve been there, it will be hard to understand. But, I think it is important to talk about what we experienced and what we discovered as the greatest needs.

Our team arrived in Haiti on Monday….actually only 1/2 of our team. The other half drove over the border from Santo Domingo on Tuesday very early. We arrived into the midst of chaos and destruction. Personally it was VERY hard to see Haiti in the state it was in. In the years I have been going, I have fallen in love with Haiti and it’s people. So, to see a place and people I love hurting so much was very painful. That was all the more reason to work hard to make a small impact.

From Tuesday through Friday our team worked very hard to bring food, medical supplies and care to so many hurting people. We started with taking food to a few orphanages. Most of the orphanages we interacted with had been destroyed. The kids had been moved to private homes and guest houses throughout the city. Because of the great fear of another major quake, very few people were living inside their homes. So, the result was tons of babies sleeping outside on porches and in courtyards completely unsheltered from the hot sun and cool nights. It was so hard to see kids the age of my boys displaced and in great need.

What was even harder was seeing babies that were injured, sick and dying. I had to watch as some kids lost their fight to stay alive. On Wednesday, as calls for help were pouring in, I had to make decision as to who we could get help to and who we couldn’t. What was so hard was knowing that in some decisions I made, kids lives were hanging in the balance. I have never hurt so badly, or lost so much sleep as I did that night. The reality is that the need is too great and I am too small to help them all. In that moment God spoke to me and said……As mush as you might love those people and those babies, I love them more. I promised never to leave you or forsake you and I promised these people the same…….As much as I heard from God, it was hard to see His will in the midst of such tragedy.

Our team worked hard for days getting supplies to the people. One afternoon our team spent their time working in a tent city as a make shift medical clinic. They had an overwhelming response from people who were grateful for the gentle care and concern that our team expressed. The team had to transport a few critical patients to local field hospitals at the UN headquarters. In these moments they each shared stories of one or more people they came to love and respect.

One of the other things that was tough to see, was the many churches that had been destroyed. There are so many young leaders, pastors and families who’s lives were founded in their ministry. While their ministries are still there, the functional tools they had are not. Their buildings, school and homes are destroyed. These pastors and churches need our support, our prayers and our finances to help them rebuild and continue a great movement for Jesus. As a pastor my heart has been heavy for these great leaders and the people they shepherd. Please search your hearts and ask God how you can help rebuild God’s church in Haiti.

We discovered that our greatest strength in Haiti was helping to get much needed supplies from their storage at the airport into the hands of the Haitian people. There is so much need for getting the simple medical, water and food supplies to the masses. Our short-term plans are to keep putting able-bodied people on the ground and empowering them to provide people with the supplies they so desperately need. Our long term plans include the possibility of building an orphanage, school and church. We plan to send teams on going for many years  as part of a movement we call Impact Haiti.

Please continue to pray for the people in Haiti and pray for their strength. Pray that God will use this to change the country, the people, and ultimately that through this more people will meet Jesus.