Haiti six months on ... is there hope?

I went to Haiti in February following the devastating earthquake. At the time Haiti was a nation that was featured in every news source possible. We found a country and people literally shaken to their core. Images of destruction were everywhere. It was hard to see how things could ever begin to I improve. You can read a little of our trip here.

But what now?

Six months on there are new tragedies around the world dominating the media and people's attention. Today's news reports as Bangladesh experiences the worst floods for 80 years. 1600 people have died. 12 million people are affected.  650,000 homes are destroyed. 1.4m acres of agricultural land are flooded. In Afghanistan 10 medical workers have been shot dead. The 6 American's, 1 Briton, 1 German and 2 Afghans were working with a Christian organisation providing eye care and medical work. My friends in Afghanistan knew these people. 

There is no front page article about what is still going on in Haiti today. But it is a nation working to heal's itself. YWAM is working around the clock to rebuild - lives, homes and communities. God is at work in an unprecedented way. 

I want to bring you three stories from our teams out there. To remind you to not forget Haiti and to testify that God is on the move and He is committed to Haiti.

The first story is about the clinic I help see open. Our team cleaned and painted and treated the first patients, when they were in the makeshift outdoor clinic to its current building. The second is of homes that YWAM was committed to building for the people of Haiti. Finally a story of the power of prayer - pure & simple.

‘New Foundations Clinic’ - 
From death to life.

In 1972, a Dr. Brown built an abortion clinic in St Marc that was known as “The Death Hospital”. When Dr Brown died, the clinic was vacated, and stayed empty for 10 years, being used only as a latrine by the locals. In the days after the earthquake, YWAM was given the building to use for the refugees. In partnership with others the old hospital was renamed by YWAM “New Foundations Clinic” and is now used to treat the sick transferring them to temporary tent housing as they recover.

With the 270,000 people of St Marc having only one hospital, this is a vital ministry needing 8,000 dollars a month to run efficiently. It is hoped that the clinic will be soon self-sustaining with an efficient administrative system to facilitate treatment programs.

Sometimes though, the healing process bypasses the medical teams and testimonies are heard of supernatural healings. One such event happened recently in New Foundations Clinic. A patient had a dream that she was prayed for and healed. She had prayed often for healing of her legs as walking was virtually impossible for her.

News of this lady’s dream reached the YWAM base and it seemed like a good idea to go to the clinic to pray for her in person! When they arrived, they placed a wet, white cloth on her legs in accordance with her original dream. The lady told them the cloth became cold, then hot. So the team lifted her up out of her seat and she stood tall, wobbled a little bit and, in her words, “I stood up and started to walk!” It was not long before she was jumping and dancing.

This miracle happened at the start of 3 days of national “mourning for the dead” and was a reminder that God turns mourning into dancing. (Psalm 30:5). Many in Haiti now turning to God to restore their nation as He answers their prayers for healing.

Handing over the keys: Homes of Hope

“There is nothing more effective, yet so simple, as building a home for a family. It gives them a foundation, a hope, and an understanding of what it means to be loved” (YWAM Haiti.)

On June 25th 2010, YWAM Haiti’s national director, Terry Snow, handed nine families the keys to nine brand new permanent homes in the tent communities of Perisse and Timonette.

As the YWAM team prayed blessing on them, it was clear that this was a significant milestone in the recovery process for the Haitian people. Each home cost three thousand dollars and was built in partnership with the Hinkletown Mennonite Church of Pennsylvania and YWAM. Since the earthquake, each family had been housed in temporary tent dwellings provided by YWAM, and as they opened the doors to their new home, deep thankfulness was evident by the wide smiles on their faces.

Since the earthquake, YWAM has acquired land on which they have built hundreds of tents to house the homeless. While tents continue to be purchased and erected as funding becomes available, the long-term aim is to continue to build permanent housing, thereby rebuilding the stability and dignity of Haiti.

Stretching wide. Going deep.

For YWAM teams, the costs of helping to rebuild a nation are not just financial. The emotional resilience needed to stretch wide and continue to pour love into the people of Haiti can only be sourced from the heart of God. It is deep intimacy with God that replenishes souls and gives strength to serve day after day, often in extremely difficult circumstances.

At the YWAM base in St Marc, the 24-hour prayer room (check out video of the prayer room here) is a safe place for the teams to go deep in corporate worship and intercession. 
When all three YWAM tent cities joined together in 24 hours of prayer something remarkable happened. One group decided to visit a nearby village, gathered the people together in one place and preached the gospel. Half the population of that village received Jesus Christ and were all baptized in the river behind their homes!

A week after the 24 hour house of prayer was launched, a new ministry was birthed.

Thirty-five inner city prostitutes were brought to the YWAM base in St Marc, and met with female members of the team over some weeks. Eventually, one of the pimps let a YWAM volunteer know that ten of the girls had turned away from prostitution at the same time.

Prayer changes things! God is at work in the villages and cities of Haiti.

Please continue to pray for Haiti. There are decades of work to be done and it will take every man, woman and child of that land to see Haiti become the nation God desires it to be. A nation that recognizes it's identity in Christ.