Haiti Update

Here is a summary of the latest of our disaster response.
• About 80 children from the three child development centers in Les Cayes that were affected by the flooding received money to replace belongings such as school materials and uniforms. Families also received food kits and water.
• The Compassion Haiti office has begun to address shelter needs for the families from the affected ICPs. Six thousand families will receive shelter materials.
• Families in urban areas will receive shelters made from waterproof tarps, wood frame and nails. Families in the countryside will receive shelters made from corrugated metal sheets, wood and nails.
• Project staff were trained on how to construct shelters. Each shelter is big enough to accommodate a family of more than five.
• The second phase of food distribution is occurring, serving both significantly and moderately affected projects.
• Apart from one LDP student still missing, all LDP students (90 total) are attending a four-day camp in Merbalais, two hours from Port-au-Prince. Camp activities include psychological and social interventions, immunization and recreation.

Haiti and Compassion

Haitian Children Need our Help! As a result of the Earthquake in Haiti children and their families are hurting. The tragic statistics: Compassion Children 49 were killed; 721 injured; 3,437 homes destroyed; 11,344 homes damaged; 227 siblings killed; and 203 parents killed.

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training. Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 25 countries.

Compassion's work in Haiti began in 1968. Currently, more than 62,900 children participate in more than 225 child development centers. Compassion partners with churches to help them provide Haitian children with the opportunity to rise above their circumstances and become all God has created them to be.

Please continue to keep the country of Haiti in your prayers. Prayer requests from Haiti:
1. Pray for the country as the population is struggling to return to their normal life
2. Pray for the south population (Les Cayes).
3. Pray for the three projects that are affected by the flooding.
4. Pray for all specific responses of Compassion to affected ICPs to be effective.
5. Pray for resilience, courage and vision for the leadership of the office, the staff and the ICPs to meet the needs of all affected children.

On an interesting note; Compassion Children in Bangladesh raise more than $3,000 to send to the children in Haiti. It started with a day of prayer at all Compassion Bangladesh’s projects with the children praying for Haiti and ended up with the poorest children in the world donating $3,000 to the other poorest children in the world. Praise the Lord!