Haiti (MNN) — Haiti's cholera epidemic appears to be stabilizing, but many ministries are concerned the outbreak could flare up again. According to one report, UN health officials warn refugee camps crammed with earthquake survivors could be devastated if an outbreak hits there.
Eva DeHart with For Haiti with Love says, "It started in the central (part of Haiti), and it will follow the river south. So our prayer needs to be that they get it contained before it reaches those camps in Port-au-Prince."
250 people have died, and more than 3,000 have been infected. DeHart says, "They're announcing that all of the hospitals in the area saturated with the cholera right now are full beyond capacity."
For Haiti with Love is located north of the infected area in Cape Haitien. DeHart says, "My concern right now is that they're going to start bringing the infected people north."
Should that happen, they are prepared, says DeHart. "Right now we have a lot of Sawyer Water Filters, which are exceptionally good water filters. We have on order–and it will go out in our very next shipment–a major supply of oral rehydration salt." She says that's the key to saving lives.
The cholera issue is having an effect on short-term mission teams. "At least one of the organizations is starting to cancel their volunteer teams," says DeHart. "It kind of depends on what they were coming in for. You don't want people there sightseeing right now because they can spread things."
This new calamity, says DeHart, is opening hearts to the Gospel. She believes it's a spiritual battle. "Satan is really busy trying to defend his turf down there, and we need to keep the prayer going to be sure he doesn't win."
Prayer is also needed to help aid reach its destination. "I have two containers that are still sitting in Port-au-Prince," says DeHart. "We've been struggling with the customs in Port-au-Prince since July. The last shipment out of Port-au-Prince was released in June."
Thankfully, shipments are making it out of port in Cape Haitien. DeHart says donations are needed. "For Haiti with Love has all of the supplies ordered. So we have ground shipment (costs) to get them over to the east coast, and we have land expenses once we're in Haiti."
