A mother explains; it was in the middle of the night, total darkness, no light. The horrible sound of the hurricane was all around. There was no where safe to go. We were trapped inside our small hut that was a thin sheet against the raging storm. We were as high as we could get on our beds trying to stay above the water and mud. The walls could not bear the weight of the water flooding outside. The roof was ripped off with the vicious winds. I tried keeping a hold of all my children but the water was too strong as it rushed in and took over. The house was destroyed as we were all swept into the current. We were pummeled by debris and the current. I was able to climb up a bank. My little daughter was no longer with us. I screamed for her but couldn’t hear or see her. It was so dark and loud in the raging storm. There was no way to find her. We all huddled together as high up as we could get for many hours. Finally the winds started to ease up and it started to get light. We were able to get to safer ground but with a heavy, deep sadness.
A poem found in the book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time and place for everything under heaven;
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn…
For many of the people of Haiti, it is a time to mourn. Hurricane Matthew came in like a flood.
As the death toll in Haiti continues to rise, please keep them in your prayers.
Encouragement for Times of Difficulty
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Plan of Action
What we have done:
Delivered an immediate emergency relief fund package to all the Cross to Light churches.
What we are doing:
Delivering a water solution to the Canaan church that is in a community that is in dire need of water.
Plan of Action Short Term:
Emergency Response Teams to assist locations with critical need.
Food & water deployment.
Church Communities assessment and secondary relief packages issued.
Shelter repair assistance.
Plan of Action Long Term:
Cross to Light plans to continue to bring long term water solutions to each church by building church community centers equipped with a water collection system, cistern, drilling a well and installing solar water pumps available to the church and to the community.
