Tomorrow marks the 8 week point since the earthquake first took place. Because of the severity of the quake and the condition of the land already, the media and government were quick to go in and have a presence. After about 4-5 weeks, you no longer see it on the news and the government/military pulls out and life somewhat resumes to what it was before. Other than, hundreds of thousands are still homeless and so many people are still wondering where their next meal will come from.

They say that the death toll is now slightly over 200,000, but we had a chance to talk to Pastor Jometre last week and he said that there are still so many houses and buildings that have not even been unburied and before anyone even started counting, people were digging holes and burying their loved ones or even burning them because they didn't know what else to do with them. He says you can easily add another 100,000 to any "official" count. He was there when it took place and has pictures of so many areas demolished and people lying everywhere. It is quite sobering. 

But, because of your help, GFMI was one of the first groups to get help to the people on the ground. We worked closely with Pastor Jometre as soon as we could make contact. We were able to get him funds within days even though there were no usual methods available. He was able to purchase enough food, water, diesel and cooking fuel that the children didn't go one day without a meal. 

He was also able to provide security and safety and even some tents to over 2,000 neighborhood people that were left homeless. 

We met up with him in Miami this last week when he was returning to Haiti after a couple weeks of rest and recuperation. We were able to buy clothes, shoes, tents, & toiletries for him to take back with him to give to people at the orphanage, and also gave him additional funds to purchase more food and supplies once he arrived. We would not have been able to do this without your help. 

We all want you to know how appreciative we are for the part you have played in helping Haiti. We are not even close to being finished, but you have already made such in difference in so many lives. 

We will continue to help rebuild and restore lives and families as the day, weeks and months go by. 

We will be uploading pictures soon of what happened and also the help you sent. 

God is going to be glorified in Haiti!!

Proverbs 28:27 says, "He who gives to the poor will not lack...".

James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."

Bless You All!!!

Donate -  HERE

or you can send your gifts to:

GFMI

PO BOX 163108

Fort Worth, TX 76161

Although the tremors have more-or-less subsided, people are still afraid for their lives and staying outdoors. They have also been told that the possibility of another large earthquake is high, and this is keeping them on edge all the time. We declare that the ground in Haiti is and stays at peace and is still.

The food supply in the orphanage is good. They have been eating daily and there is at least another week's supply in store. We are wanting to have them setup with 30 day's supply of food at all times. This will make things much easier on the leadership there.

Our pastor friend has done such an awersome job at taking care of the children and even neighborhood people. He will be coming to visit fairly soon and to rest. Experts say that most of the time people can only be in a situation like that for about 2-3 weeks until they NEED time to rest. He is going on his 4th week now. We will be helping him with his flights and supplies, and help to get him rested and refueled spirit, soul & body.

There are still hundreds sleeping in the orphanage grounds. Tents and small items have been taken from some of the older children that live at the orphanage, but overall, it has been quite peaceful there. They have prayer every morning at 5am and there are usually 400-500 people that attend. They also have church outside on Sundays with upwards of 700-900 in attendance. God is going to win in Haiti!!!

We are still working on getting long-term supplies shipped over in 40' containers. Once delivered, the containers will be left for them to use as storage areas. There have been so many things packed into each container, from food and medical supplies to clothes and camping supplies. Each container will cost about $8,500 to purchase and ship. All of the supplies inside have already been donated. Each container holds up to $200,000 worth of items. It is a great value. We would like to ship 3-4 containers as soon as possible.

If this is something you would like to help with, please click on the "donate" link at the top or bottom of this page.

Thank you again for your love and support. You are making such a difference in the lives of these people that currently have NO way to support themselves.

So much has taken place over the past few days even though you hardly see any media exposure like was present just a week ago.

Aid is finally starting to make its way to more of the people of Haiti. People are still living in make-shift tents on the sides of the roads for fear that the buildings may still collapse. It has been reported that they have received more than 40 aftershocks since the first earthquake on January 12th. Some of the tremors have been as large as 6.0 and many around 4.0. Our pastor on site says that the people and children run screaming and crying when this happens. They are so affraid that something is going to fall on them and crush them. 

While we are seeing less and less as we sit comfortably in our living rooms watching the news, crude amputations are becoming more and more common in Haiti due to infection and Gangrene. People's limbs that could have possibly been saved a week or 2 ago, now have to be removed because they could not be treated in time.

We are consistently working with several people and ministries around the country to fly in these necessary medical supplies and to help not only the children in the orphanage but also people in the surrounding neighborhood, many of who are still sleeping in the orphanage grounds.

The children also are still sleeping on the ground outside as they don't want to be caught sleeping inside if another tremor were to hit. They are now in need of clothing, shoes, tents and mattresses for when they move back inside. They had pulled their old mattresses off their beds to put on the ground outside to sleep on. They are now torn, dirty and often wet due to rain or other things. Many of their clothes have also been completely worn out since they are living outside 24/7 and have had little opportunity to wash them.

The best way to help with these items is to send in a financial gift. We have discovered over the years that it is usually more expensive to acquire items from people, receive them, package and organize them, and ship them to Haiti than it is to receive the funds to either purchase these items in Haiti itself or purchase them in bulk, prepackaged, in Florida to put into a large container to ship.

We currently have several shipping containers in the process of being loaded and shipped to a northern port of Haiti, because the port in Port-au-Prince was destroyed during the quake.

They will then be trucked down to the orphanage and local secure areas for distribution.

1/23/2010

It is a strange thing to think about being displaced from your home, living amongst thousands of other people on the street in tents or make-shift lean-to's, not knowing where your next meal may come from. This is reality for hundreds of thousands of Haitians right now.

Add to this, they are still having tremors daily ranging from small up to 6.0. Our pastor on site says that whenever the tremors happen, people start running, screaming and really freaking out. He tries to calm them, but they can't seem to listen to reason or instruction when it happens. I can't imagine what they are experiencing not having lived through earthquakes through the years. Not even considering their conditions. 

We pray the peace of God upon them!

The orphanage has a fairly ample supply of food at the moment. A ministry from Canada was able to have some food and water trucked in from the Dominican Republic a few days ago, and they have put it in their storage depot for safe keeping.

We were able to send money through a friend of a friend that was traveling over yesterday to serve as a doctor in a medical facility. They received the funds today and rejoiced because it enabled them to repay the credit they had used to purchase food during the last week.  A HUGE THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAVE GIVEN INTO THEM. IT MEANS MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW!!! They will now also be able to purchase the much needed charcoal, propane and remaining supplies for cooking and also some fuel for the generator.The pastor says it isn't real peaceful once it gets dark, around 6:00pm, when there are over 2,000 people on the compound and only a couple flashlights for light. There is still NO electricity coming from the city.

We are still working through the many details of getting the much needed medical supplies transported over to the orphanage and clinic. We have a plane, we have supplies and we have an airfield to land on in Haiti, but the site is hours away from the orphanage grounds and there are stories of armed bandits waiting for these types of transports. Due to all of the government aid airplanes that are coming into Port-au-Prince, it is not even an option to land their at this time.

Details are being processed and paperwork completed to get the flights on their way to get the supplies there. We will proceed with caution and our ears in tune to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit leading the how, where, and when. Psalm 91 is our cover!

Do stay in touch!!

Update 1/20/2010

So much has been happening at such a rapid pace it sometimes is too much to even put into words.

the Pastor on-site said that they were able to purchase food if they had money. Funds were sent through Western Union when they told us the receiver could pick-up up to $1000USD. He went to retrieve the cash and was only given $50USD. It cost him $100 to get there. WU said they were short on cash in that area. We are looking at redirecting it through another source. Pray it will get to where it needs to safe and whole.

The orphanage kids are still doing well. We have been able to talk to a couple people there almost daily. They are receiving at least one meal every day and some water or juice to drink. They (the kids) say the food isn't great and they get hungry, but it is more than most are getting right now.

Still no aid coming through the city limits to these outside areas. They are going into town regularly to try to pick up supplies, but turned away.

Another organization/ministry we know if based in Canada has found a small helicopter to transport small amounts of food & water to the orphanage from the Dominican Republic. It was quite the adventure when they did this yesterday. Pastor says it was small and could only hold about 15 cases of water, but again, it all helps. It is quite the story how they found the compound and dropped off the water, but I don't have room to write it all here. He did say it almost became a problem because so many outside people tried to get in thinking it was government aid being sent in. They now have 5 police officers on the compound to assist in crown control. There are now over the 2,000 people there and more are trying to get in daily.

They experienced another aftershock today registering about 6.0. He said it only lasted about 1-2 seconds though. NO damage in the orphanage - Praise the Lord again. :)

We are working with several people and organizations currently to send in large quantities of medical supplies, food, water and possibly diesel fuel for the generator and pickup truck. Things are in the works.

Once we get past this initial phase, we will be looking at more long term support as they begin to rebuild within and outside.

Blessings to you all!

1/18/2010

Several updates have come in in the last 24 hours.

The latest from our contact on location:

Biggest needs are: Food, water, fuel, transportation & medical supplies. There is only one gas station open with long, long lines & truck isn't working due to purchasing fuel that had been mixed with water.

There are now over 2000 people living/sleeping in the orphanage compound. Some go back to their homes during the day, but won't stay inside due to continuing tremors. Just today, a neighborhood house collapsed killing 6 people inside.

Food & water is available at a high price if you look hard for it. Need money to purchase. As of Saturday night, has less than $200 left to purchase items. Went out today (Sunday) and purchased some food on credit and picked up some water that needed filtering before drinking - used small hand pump/filter to clean.

Western Union now has 1 agent location up and running, but they are limiting transfers to $1,000 per person per day. WU office is about a 4 hour drive from orphanage.

Went to airport today and spoke with military personnel requesting food and water. They sent him from person to person, with no assistance, then was told to leave (with nothing in hand).

Most of aid and assistance is taking place downtown Port-au-Prince. Orphanage is 10-15 miles out of town. NO assistance going to to these outlying areas.

All kids are still doing good. Have been getting about 1 meal the last 2 days. More than the rest in the area. He said the others that are staying/sleeping there have been really good to share with each other what they do have.

Huge need is medical supplies. A Dr. is on the compound but treating injuries with NO supplies. Having to suture with no local anesthesia. Major wounds like missing limbs, gapping gashes, etc.

Outside orphanage is in shambles and bodies are lying all around on the sides of the roads.

I am heading down in about a week to take supplies & help with organization, preparation and planning.

1/16/2010 11:26am

Another Haiti update from the inside: according to the missionary we know that returned from Haiti Thursday morning. Most of the main damage is within the Port-au-Prince area. It is MUCH worse than what the news is showing.
Orphanage children are good. Part of the wall is down surrounding compound, most of neighborhood... staying in compound. So many that you cannot walk through them at night.
Desparately need: food, water, fuel & medical supplies. There is a doctor there but has no supplies. Treating people with huge wounds, missing limbs, etc., including many infants & children.
All aid going in is currently staying downtown. Nothing going out to these outlying areas.
Roads not blocked with debris, but with people. Dead bodies everywhere.
My ticket is purchased - going down the week of the 25th & taking supplies, organization & planning (things they need help with most).
More info to come...

1/15/2010 7:09pm

We finally got through to Suzette at the orphanage. She says things are ok inside the orphanage but really bad outside the walls. She said they are all still sleeping outside. Some have tents, others don't. She had one until she left it to eat. When she came back it was gone.
There are lots of outside people that sleep... on the orphanage grounds. Lots of them are injured. They all have been eating regularly until today, where they only got 1 meal in the morning.
They do have some fuel, so they use an outside shower to clean up with the generator. We will be trying to call our friend there tonight & tomorrow to get more info from a leaders' perspective. God is going to have his way & our girls are coming home immediately!!

1/15/2010 4:12pm

Been working most the day on how to get supplies and/or funds to the orphanage in Haiti. A missionary returned from there this morning saying the kids are starting to get desparate for food & water. All cell phone lines appear to still be down.
Believing God is making the way and opening up communications.
Good news, st...ate department says they are looking at possibly expediting adoptions that are already underway, getting the kids out on special Visas. We believe God is making good out of what is bad.
More to come...

Update 1/13/2010 5:27pm

Haiti update from inside: spoke with our contact this afternoon. He said the orphanage grounds are in good shape, but they are living outside at the moment because they keep having tremors that shake the buildings. They are ok on food & water but don't know for how long as they are also sheltering some people from o...ff the street. He said everywhere around the orphanage is "horrible." Bodies everywhere, buildings down, homes destroyed - but none of it came near them as they dwelt in the secret place.
He said if people want to help, money is the best and quickest way. We can Western Union it directly to him & he will use it to supply the children & people in the orphanage. Go to www.gofreeministries.org to send a gift! All gifts are tax deductable & will go directly there. Thank you all for your prayers.

Update 1/12/2010  7:02pm

Our hearts and prayers go out to the nation of Haiti as we read the news and hear the stories of the damage and destitution caused by the earthquake Tuesday afternoon.

We have had very limited contact with anyone there, but heard from our contact just moments ago. He said that even though all around the orphanage compound there are homes collapsed, buildings destroyed and schools demolished, nothing has touched the children within the compound walls. God's hand of protection was certainly on all there.

The 140+ children and workers are currently are staying out in the grounds as the tremors continue to shake the buildings, making it unsafe to reside inside.

He says the best way to help is to send money so he will be able to continue to provide food and water to everyone there.

All gifts and donations sent to GFMI for this outreach will be sent directly to the children in the orphanage to provide the simple things they are so desperately in need of.

God is a big God and He alone will be getting the glory and praise for his protection and comfort to our children in Haiti. They are a witness of His goodness. 

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