Help Haiti!

By now you have heard about the Earthquake in Haiti. The picture here is taken of the house next door to the boys orphanage (the one we work at with Heartline). They lost some walls - this house was totally destroyed. I'll include all the information we have below. All the children are safe.

If you would like to help in the relief efforts, you can give directly to Heartline Ministries by going to http://www.heartlineministries.org. Jothum and Rochelle are trying to get back to Haiti ASAP. I assume we (Cottonwood) will be helping them with travel and/or supplies to bring. You can give to Haiti through Cottonwood at our Paypal giving site on http://www.cottonwoodchurch.net and designate it for Haiti. Also, if you will read through the letters I've cut and pasted below you will see other ways you can help this immediate need. I've taken the different blogs and letters from our friends in Haiti and pasted them below.

If you go to the Heartline Ministries website, John (John and Beth have lived in Haiti for 21 years now working with Heartline) keeps up a terrific blog so you will have a good picture of what is happening and how we can help.

PLEASE PRAY!!

Dan


LIVESAY BLOG

January 13, 2010
The Morning After - Earthquake Haiti 2010

The sun is about to come up. The aftershocks continue. Some more noticeable than others. There is no way to even begin to share the things we've heard and seen since 5pm yesterday. To do so would take hours that we don't have to give right now. Some of them feel wrong to tell. Like only God should know these personal horrible tragedies.
The few things we can confirm - yes the four story Caribbean Market building is completely demolished. Yes it was open. Yes the National Palace collapsed. Yes Gov't buildings nearby the Palace collapsed. Yes St Josephs Boys home is completely collapsed. Yes countless countless - countless other houses, churches, hospitals, schools, and businesses have collapsed. There are buildings that suffered almost no damage. Right next door will be a pile of rubble.
Thousands of people are currently trapped. To guess at a number would be like guessing at raindrops in the ocean. Precious lives hang in the balance. When pulled from the rubble there is no place to take them for care Haiti has an almost non existent medical care system for her people.

I cannot imagine what the next few weeks and months will be like. I am afraid for everyone. Never in my life have I seen people stronger than Haitian people. But I am afraid for them. For us.

When the quake hit it took many seconds to even process what was happening. The house was rocking back and forth in a way that I cannot even begin to describe. It felt fake. It felt like a movie. Things were crashing all over the house. It felt like the world was ending. I do not know why my house stands and my children all lie sleeping in their beds right now. It defies logic and my babies were spared while thousands of others were not.
There are friends and co-workers that are missing. People whom no-one can account for. People we work with and love. There are more than I can name, but in particular we wait on one single friend who lived near the Hotel Montana - which has reportedly collapsed.
The horror has only just begun and I beg you to get on your knees - I truly mean ON YOUR KNEES and pray for the people of this country. The news might forget in a few days - but people will still be trapped alive and suffering. Pray. Pray. Pray. After that - PLEASE PRAY.
Tara for all of us

BYRON AND SHELLEY EMAIL

Thanks to every one of you for your prayers and concern for us.

We find ourselves in a difficult place today - we are in Florida while our five youngest children - and the 17 children who we care for are all in Haiti facing the aftermath of the earthquake which took place this afternoon.

FIRST - God has shown us great mercy - every child is safe and unharmed. The walls have fallen down, the gates have fallen over, there is great damage to the homes - but every single person is fine! Our good friend Kelly, and Brittany Gilbert who works with us, have done a terrific job of handling this emergency. They waited in the street for quite some time before John was able to reach them - the street was a safe place, nothing big which could fall on them. Our neighbor's roof caved in, and the house which was next to the boy's home is completely gone. As the homes are built of blocks and concrete it is dangerous right now.

All of the children and workers are sleeping in Village Theodat at the Buxman's home. They are sleeping in the driveway. As I understand it, all of the children are asleep except for our youngest two - Belle and Dominique. It is very difficult for me to be here.

We have changed our flights. We were scheduled to return on Monday, tried to fly out tomorrow but American has cancelled all of their flights into Haiti tomorrow. Byron was able to secure the very last seat on a flight for Thursday. I will follow on Friday. We will spend tomorrow purchasing supplies to take back with us. We hope to take back 5 bags each - supplies will be crucial now.

Our first two bags are free, and the three additional bags will cost us $100 each. IF you would like to help us purchase supplies, or pay for extra baggage, will you please email me OR call my mom and let me know? That will help us know what we are able to purchase. Donations will need to be sent to Heartline Ministries, c/o Nichols Accounting Group, 5680 East Franklin Road Suite #110, Nampa, ID 83687. Please attach a note which specifies that this is money for the purchase of supplies.

We are praying and trusting that God in His sovereignty has this under control, and that He intended for us to be in the states at this time. Please pray that God gives us wisdom when we purchase our supplies, and that we will not allow our minds to imagine any more than we know, and that He continues to protect those who are in Haiti. Please pray that we trust Him completely.

We love each of you!

Thank you so much for everything,

Byron and Shelley


JOHN AND BETH EMAIL/BLOG

At about 5:00 PM as I was almost ready to send this e-letter, the house began to sway and I could hear the sound of breaking glass and of walls falling.
Haiti had just been hit by a major 7.0 earthquake. All the Heartline people are fine but the houses.especially the walls have sustained major damage. The wall at the boys' house is 75% gone as well as a major portion of the girls' house. In my house a good portion of the front wall is gone and a portion of the back wall.
We are running off of batteries power and have no running water due to the pipes breaking.
The people filled the streets running to somewhere. We do not really know the damage sustained throughout the rest of the city.
All the children at the homes and the nannies and the Tlucek kids and visitors are sleeping outside tonight in the Buxman's yard due to several after shocks.
There are people sitting in the streets as they are afraid to go in their homes due to aftershocks. Even s I typed that sentence we just had a strong aftershock.
I am able to send this bu using the internet at a friends house that lives nearby. Our service has been knocked out.
I have posted several pictures that I hurriedly took. You can see them at http://heartlineministries.org/Blog20.aspx

John