Haiti (MNN) — Heavy rains have flooded areas of Northern Haiti since early last week. The flooding adds to economic problems in the country, which a United Nations official recently noted. About 40 percent of Haiti’s population needs humanitarian assistance.
Eva DeHart of For Haiti with Love describes the effect of the rains. “You have mud, you have a lot of standing water, and you’ve got lowland areas where homes are being filled up with rainwater. You’ve got children who can’t go to school because they can’t get across the areas of standing water to get to the school. It’s just really miserable down there right now.”
A food crisis
The rain has closed open-air markets, cutting off a major source of food for the population. The weather has also caused more burns to be treated at the For Haiti with Love burn clinic. DeHart says, “Because of their French culture, they cook outside the home. So when it’s raining, they drag those open charcoal burners into the house to cook. And that is opening up exposures and increasing the volume of burns in the clinic because you’ve got the kids at home.”
For Haiti with Love has begun a food program as the situation grows more desperate. Pray their care would draw many to Jesus. DeHart says, “Food just automatically brings about the warmth of God’s love by material provisions. But in the meantime, we pray for the rain to stop, and for the people to hang in there and do the best they can until that happens.”
