Haiti (MNN) — While the one-year anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti is approaching, the country has all but been forgotten by the world. Millions of dollars poured in to help with the initial aid and recovery; now, funding to help long-term is needed.
Global Aid Network, or GAIN USA, has been working in Haiti for years. They were one of the first organizations able to provide food because their warehouse was ready for the disaster. GAIN's vice president of relief and development Scott Hendrix says the recovery progress has been slow. "Only 2.5 percent of the rubble has been cleared from the city. So, most people are living in tents. And that's a really difficult situation."
More recently, the election unrest impacted the work of GAIN USA. Hendrix says, "I was there in Haiti last week. I got stuck there three extra days, and it was difficult to get out. [The situation] does hamper getting in and out," he says.
It's also affected their work teams. "We have people who come in, committing a week of their time, and sometimes can't get out. We can't get the food to the IDP camps. We can't get the supplies for the building that we're doing. It just slows us down until it's safe to move around again."
GAIN USA is in the process of building a warehouse, orphanage, a volunteer camp, and a hospital with Nehemiah Vision Ministry. Hendrix says, "Once that infrastructure is up and running, then we can start looking at some of the clean up and build houses."
In addition to funding for these projects, around $55,000 is needed to purchase a generator and water well.
While most of the news coming out of Haiti is bad, the good news is that many Haitians are coming to Christ and the churches are growing. "These churches have grown so rapidly that they can't meet in the buildings, even if the buildings are left standing," reports Hendrix. "So we are providing large tents where churches can now meet. We've seen a lot of people coming to Christ because they've seen the church rising up to help them."
As you financially support the work of GAIN USA, you can be certain people are hearing the Gospel. "Any time we distribute food, we go back with JESUS Film teams. We show the Gospel of Luke through the JESUS Film and introduce them to a relationship with Jesus Christ."
Hendrix asks you to consider giving a year-end gift to help their work in the area, to make sure people are getting the physical support they desire, as well as the spiritual help they need even more.
If you'd like to support their work, click here.
