Haiti (MNN) — Compassion
International is facing sobering reality as they get assessments in Haiti.
A rescued Haitian staff member has died from her internal injuries. Please earnestly pray for her surviving family
members and for the rest of the staff who will miss her.
In the meantime, although one of the workers, Dan Woolley, was
rescued after 65 hours, David Hames, another contractor, remains missing. The
pair was staying at the Hotel Montana in Haiti while filming a Compassion project. When the quake hit, the hotel
collapsed with both men inside.
Compassion successfully made contact with nearly half of the affected
centers and is assessing the immediate needs. However, at this time, the International Program Group in Colorado
Springs listing the centers has no new information about damages.
The latest estimates are that
about 50 child development centers suffered severe damage. Some of the children
were killed, some hurt. Many have lost family members, homes and all
their possessions.
Communications are frequently disrupted, slowing the assessment
process. However, the ministry has
a mobile satellite-enabled communications unit that will provide more reliable
and consistent communication with Port-au-Prince.
The good news: the Compassion Haiti office building remains
standing, although the extent of the
damage it sustained from the initial temblor and aftershocks is unknown. Given the strength of the aftershock Wednesday,
the parking lot of the building is the ministry's operational base until the
office's safety can be fully evaluated.
About 75 Compassion Dominican Republic staff members have joined the relief
effort and are now bringing food, water and medical supplies across the border
into Haiti.
Please pray for the morale of
Compassion's Haitian team; they are deeply discouraged in the face of personal loss and widespread devastation. Ask God to provide His peace and comfort for the
Haitian team as they resume ministry. Click here if you can help the team rebuild.
