Day 19
January 31, 2010
It’s day 19 after the earthquake. We’re hosting a medical team from Vero Beach, Florida.
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Rebuilding School in Darbonne
January 30, 2010
Here with friend Maxandre Bien-Aime who is Director at Institution Mixte Nao. Haiti Partners is thrilled to serve as fiscal agent to help facilitate rebuilding of this school and paying teachers to continue to work with their 143 students.
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Haiti Partners in national media
January 29, 2010
Here are two different interviews I (Kent) have done with national media about our response in Haiti. Both shows approached the subject with a lot of respect. I recommend them for these Haiti stories — and also as two great shows when they’re doing other stories. Links here:
First, a 10-minute clip on Canadian national TV with George Stroumboulopoulos on “The Hour.” George asks about the work, about Pat Robertson, and other good questions: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Hour/ID=1396404451
Second, a 12-minute radio interview (player at the bottom of the page after you click on the link) on NPR’s “The Story” that also includes a couple of interviews with friends in Port-au-Prince. The segment on Haiti Partners is the first 12 minutes of the hour-long show: http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_959_Haiti_Partners_.mp3/view
Each of these interviews include new footage and interviews from Haiti after the earthquake.
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Day 17 update
January 29, 2010
An update from Haiti Partners co-director John Engle in Haiti on Day 17:
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2 Weeks After Earthquake
January 27, 2010
Yesterday marked two weeks after the earthquake. Here’s an update on what we’re working on along with my (John Engle) reflections and learnings.
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Counting Fallen Schools
January 27, 2010
Associate Luke Renner has begun filming schools that have been destroyed. Haiti Partners and Luke’s organization, Fireside International is developing a plan in consultation with key Haitian organizations to use mass communication technology for mass education.
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Community Meeting at Darbonne
January 25, 2010
Teachers and directors of our partner schools along with other members of community meet to discuss priorities.
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Analyzing Situation and Needs
January 25, 2010
Watch this video to see how people in Darbonne are organizing, getting the information they need and analyzing so that they can address problems caused by earthquake.
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Christa Brelsford
Here are Christa’s friends telling the story of what happened when the earthquake struck and Christa’s leg was crushed.
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Day 9
January 23, 2010
Sorry for the terrible quality. It was 3 am in the morning following day 9 after the quake (January 21). I (John Engle) was trying not to wake people up and I was shining a flashlight on my face even as I filmed myself. Not pretty and not loud enough but the summary and reflections are there if you have time and energy. Thank you for your interest!
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Kent in Darbonne with family and church
I (Kent) was just interviewed on “100 Huntley Street,” a national TV show in Canada. I’m in Toronto for a Haiti Partners event with Tony Campolo on Sunday evening (for details, see www.haitipartners.ca) that was scheduled 6 months ago.
Earlier this the week I traveled to Haiti to work with John, and we spent time in Darbonne, the town where two Haiti Partners schools collapsed and where my wife, Shelly, and I first lived when we moved to Haiti. It was wonderful to finally be with our “adopted family” after the earthquake–though heartbreaking to see their family homes ruined.
Haiti Partners is working hard to help in the Darbonne area. This two-part (20 minutes) video shares the story of getting back to this town after the earthquake.
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Day 8
January 21, 2010
Summary at the end of last night, day 8 after earthquake.
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Darbonne Field Report
January 19, 2010
Darbonne/Leogane was the epicenter.
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Field Report – Miraculously Alive
January 19, 2010
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Darbonne/Leogane – Haitian Determination
January 18, 2010
We see Haitian determination at Darbonne/Leogane, the earthquake’s epicenter.
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Day 6
January 19, 2010
Kent and John share stories and reflections from their day yesterday.
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Day 5 After Earthquake
January 17, 2010
Some reflections and a summary of my day today.
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My Friend’s House: From Joy to Heartbreak
January 17, 2010
Yesterday I visited my friend Koulou. It was heartbreaking to see that the house that he showed me radiating with joy on January 1st was now destroyed.
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prayers
Knowing that in the midst of the pain and suffering and destructions Haitians are gathering in streets and public squares, singing, marching and praying. As darkness falls, some are praying and singing in the open areas where they will spend the night. We join our prayers and hymns to theirs. The following are prayers we were prayed together at a service at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Florida tonight. -Kent
We know people in Haiti are praying, we know they are gathered praying and singing hymns, needed your presence to be upon them. We join our prayers and our hymns with them.
Let us pray:
Gracious God we are gathered here together tonight to pray for the people of Haiti, for this country that has been devastated beyond words. We join our prayers and our sorrow and our care and our love with the prayers of all people in Haiti and for Haiti.
We pray first, O Lord, for those who have lost loved ones and family members, some who have lost their whole families. We pray for your steadying and comforting hand to hold them up in the face of such grief and pain.
We pray for those who are trying to find loved ones. We pray for families that are awaiting word or trying to get word out that they are okay. We pray for your guidance upon them.
We pray for people awaiting assistance, awaiting medical care, awaiting food and water. We pray for those in pain, in fear. We pray for those sleeping in the streets, sleeping under a sheet for a tent, we pray for those whose homes are gone.
We pray for each person in Haiti who is doing what they can to help another, to share a bit of food, to dig with their hands through rubble, to carry a stranger to find medical care.
Lord we pray for the government of Haiti, and for governments and relief organizations around the world as they seek to respond as rapidly as possible. We give you thanks that so many are doing everything they can to try and help Haiti at this time. We pray for each country responding, each community, each organization, and each individual that you have moved to help or give or pray or respond in some way.
Lord we pray for all these people, for all of these needs, we pray that your steadfast love is a tower of strength and courage to all those in need, and that your presence is a refuge and comfort to all those who suffer and grieve right now.
And finally, O Lord, we pray to you the prayer you gave us to pray . . .Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
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Day 4 After the Earthquake
January 16, 2010
Here’s a summary of what we’re living and reflections.
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On Motorcycle
January 16, 2010
On the back of a motorcycle is how I got around Port au Prince every day for years. It’s best way to cut through intense traffic. Luke and I are getting around on back of motorcycle these days.
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Update on Cite Soleil Community School
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earthquake 7
In Port-au-Prince, video updates from co-director John Engle taken yesterday, Friday, January 15:
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earthquake 6
My (Kent’s) phone just rang at 1:00 a.m. It was one of the young men in the family we lived with for the first seven months when my wife and I first moved to Haiti. They’re our adopted Haitian family (that is, they “adopted” us 7 years ago, and we’re incredibly grateful). They taught us how to speak Creole and do life. The 3-year-old grand-daughter is our goddaughter. The other children we consider like nephews and nieces. Family of 12 in three generations. I see them all the time when I’m in Haiti. We talked for 9 minutes before their phone ran out of card or power last night. They’re all okay, in a sense.
A number of you have been asking about them because you know them from my recent book. I didn’t want to write about them till now because we hadn’t heard anything. Sick with worry. It was too much to write down what might or might not be.
They’re all unharmed. They’re sleeping out on the dirt tonight, because the three small family homes are now piles of rubble. The small town of Dabon where they live is near the epicenter and is devastated, leveled. “Kent, you’d get lost if you tried to find your home here.” An older woman I always visit and buy water from in town was killed. As the names flew by too fast over the iffy phone connection, I didn’t recognize them all. Most of the names he said were alive, some dead.
Then he said, “We don’t have food or water.” What do you mean? “No food or water.” Same answer.
I believe in the God who multiplied fish and loaves to feed the hungry. I believe in the God who says I’m always with you. And right now, it’s achingly clear–heartbreakingly, angrily clear–isn’t it, that we who believe also believe in the God who is hidden sometimes, sometimes when we are most in need, to whom the Psalmist cried out, “How long, oh Lord, how long?”
How long?
Too long. There’s no other answer right now. People are being rescued, but too many aren’t, and 50,000 never will be. There will be other answers in the weeks and months ahead, but right now the only answer is too long.
My Haiti Partners co-director John is making every effort to get out to this town of Dabon today, where we also have two elementary schools that have collapsed, though nobody died in the buildings as far as we know. John will hopefully see our family too.
So I sit here not knowing what to do–just like you. At the same time, like you, I’m doing everything I can. Because that’s what we have to do, that’s what the God we believe in expects of us, even as we cry out for miracles.
For the “everything we can do” part, first I want to thank you for the incredible outpouring of generosity in gifts and prayer. John (who has worked in Haiti for 20 years) is on the ground assessing our response that will include (a) responding to immediate, critical needs of food, water, shelter, and basic necessities and (b) the particular ways we will be mobilizing for the recovery and rebuilding efforts in the communities of Dabon (where two of our schools and other colleagues are), Cite Soleil (a slum in Port-au-Prince where we also have a school that has collapsed), and Marianman.
Haiti Partners was already committed to Haiti–and we work all over the country–for years and years ahead. Now the plan is coming into place for the work in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Finally, I’ve been asked often, when working in Haiti and then during these past few days, how do you keep any hope? My answer, which is burrowed deep in my bones through the privilege of living with, being friends with, watching the courage of, and working alongside many Haitians, is that if they haven’t given up hope, we have no right to. Today I saw on CNN Haitians walking the streets of Port-au-Prince singing hymns and praying.
I sense that you haven’t given up hope either. Thank you. We’re people committed to be on the side of God’s hope, even on seemingly hopeless days. We’re people committed to be on the side of people in Haiti–not just right now, but for the longterm. Thank you for doing this together and for making the response of Haiti Partners possible.
And thanks for letting me share so personally–even as we’re working hard on many organizational details. We welcome your prayers for everyone, as so many people I’ve talked with today or heard about or read about have lost friends, husbands or wives, children, entire families. We welcome your prayers too for these particular communities and for (if I can indulge you) this adopted family of ours.
Together grasping and working for hope,
Kent (co-director)
P.S. For regular updates or to help, go to this Haiti Partners homepage.
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earthquake 5
Thank you so much for your concern, prayers, and gifts for people in Haiti. Here is a 3-minute video from Haiti Partners co-director John Engle, who is in Port-au-Prince right now.
I talked with John for 20 minutes this morning. This afternoon he is on a motorcycle trying to get to one of our schools in Port-au-Prince to see how the children and teachers are. He’s assessing how Haiti Partners will best be able to respond.
Thank you for your prayers. People who want to can give to the Earthquake Response Fund that you can click on after going to the “Home” page on this website.
Thank you, Kent (co-director)
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earthquake 4
It’s been 48 hours since the earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Tens of thousands of people have died. And the suffering is not anywhere near finished.
Thank you for being with the people in Haiti through your prayers and generosity in these hours.
I spoke for 15 minutes this afternoon with my co-director John Engle, who is in Port-au-Prince. He and his family are okay. We’re very grateful to have heard that some Haitian colleagues are well too. But we’ve still not heard from far too many colleagues and friends.
We’re also very anxious to hear about the hundreds of children and the teachers of our three Partner Schools who have likely been heavily impacted. One of the schools is in a slum of Port-au-Prince. The other two are rural schools very near the earthquake’s epicenter.
John is working to the assess overall needs in Port-au-Prince, as well as on how to physically get to these partner schools. You’re making it possible for Haiti Partners to respond to the incredible needs ahead. We will let you know more specifics as things get a little clearer each day.
If you want to give or let others know how they can give, you can do so through the Earthquake Response Fund of Haiti Partners. Click on the “Home” tab above and then on the Earthquake Response Fund.
Thank you for your prayers. People in Haiti need our prayers now so they can hold each other up. And we need to be faithful in holding them up in prayer and in whatever other ways we can help.
Gratefully, Kent (co-director)
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earthquake 3
It’s been a day and a half, and each new revelation about the catastrophe in Haiti is too much. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your generous giving. We’re humbled and grateful to be in partnership with you–particularly in a moment like this.
Co-director John Engle and his family are still in Port-au-Prince, but doing okay. Late last night we received news that Enel Angervil, our very good friend and coordinator of our Disciples Program, is hurt but stable and recovering. He was in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake struck and apparently concrete fell on his back and legs. Please pray for his recovery–as well as for the many, many friends and colleagues we have not heard from yet.
Thank you for responding with generosity. If you have family, friends, or neighbors who want to help, please let them know that giving to Haiti Partners is one of the ways they can respond. You and others can give to the Earthquake Response Fund of Haiti Partners through the link on the homepage.
Our hearts are broken. There is too little we can do when you consider each person and family suffering in Haiti at this very moment. But we’re also called to love with courage and with wisdom and with hope–despite it all, and because of it all.
Thank you for partnering to help people in Haiti right now.
Kent (co-director)
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earthquake 2
Many have been praying for Haiti and asking how they can help. Haiti Partners has set up an Earthquake Response Fund.
I invite you to give whatever you can to help people in the aftermath of this devastation. You can give to the Earthquake Response Fund through the “Earthquake Response Fund” on our homepage:
https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/BeyondBorders/OnlineDonation.html
To those who have given already, thank you so much for helping in this time of such great need.
As we learn more, I will let you know.
Gratefully, Kent (co-director)
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earthquake 1
You may have heard that there was a major earthquake in Port-au-Prince earlier today. We know it’s devastating, but the extent is still unclear. We also know our hearts are broken. It’s too much for people in Haiti to be asked to bear.
Haiti Partners co-diretor John Engle is in Port-au-Prince right now with his wife, Merline, and their children Daniel and Layla. They’re all fine, which we’re very grateful for. In the coming hours we’ll be doing our best to get in touch with many other Haitian colleagues and friends. (I, Kent, am in Florida right now.)
People have already been generously asking how to help. First, we’d ask for your prayers for the many people who have been effected immediately–and in the days ahead as the suffering ripples out. Second, it’s too early to know now the best response for Haiti Partners’ work, but we’ll be talking with people at the schools, churches, and other groups we partner with to see how they’ve been effected and how we best can help. We’ll immediately set up a fund to respond to these needs.
With hearts broken, with longing for God’s mercy and grace, and with profound gratitude for your prayers,
Kent (co-director)
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Become a Change for Haiti Partner
January 12, 2010
Will you engage with us in helping Haitians change Haiti through education? We invite you to become a Change for Haiti Partner today so that you can help more children receive an education. Will you join us and help us reach our goal of 100 new Change for Haiti Partners? Thank you to all of you who are already partnering with us.
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Pumpkin Soup on Independence Day
January 1, 2009
A quick explanation of why pumpkin soup is eaten in Haiti on January 1, which is Independence Day. Also, an invitation to come visit Merline and me (John Engle) in Haiti.
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