International Aid

News of an earthquake in Haiti reached me on Wednesday. I only had a few days left on a missions trip in Liberia, but with little access to television or internet, I was relatively isolated from the tragedy. A text from my wife stating “7.0 earthquake – 100k or more dead” was my first glimpse of the scope of the crisis. I prayed for the people of Haiti, but there was little more I could do.

But God (two of my favorite words ever) was orchestrating more.

James Macdonald, the pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, reached me in Liberia on Thursday and informed me I would be heading with him and Mark Driscoll, the pastor of Mars Hill in Seattle, to Haiti on Sunday.

Who will help the church in Haiti? If not us, who? If not now, when?

How? God would handle the logistics.

Why? To deliver aid and meet with Christian leaders to plan how we can help rebuild the church in Haiti.

By Saturday, Churcheshelpingchurches.com was launched. By Sunday, nearly one million dollars of support had been raised. By Sunday night, the logistics of landing in Port au Prince with a plane full of medical aid through the relief network of International Aid had fallen into place. By Monday morning, I was on the streets in Port Au Prince. God was working the unworkable; we were scrambling to be faithful.

Two days were spent at churches, Christian schools and seminaries, coordinating relief to those in desperate need. In Port Au Prince, several Christian schools and seminaries have become safe havens for thousands of homeless. Those in charge are heroically trying to meet these needs and by God’s grace, churches and individuals are being raised up to assist.

I found myself humbled by the faith of the believers in Haiti. As people told their stories of hardship and loss, I struggled to relate to their joy in the face of such difficulties. With the smell of death in the air, believers were remaining faithful to Jesus Christ.

Who will help the church in Haiti? If not us, who? If not now, when?

International Aid is proud to have been involved in this process. We are asking you to join with us by giving generously. Donations to International Aid earmarked “Haiti” will go directly to support trusted partners on the ground in Haiti.

The following images give a glimpse to what life in Port Au Prince is like less than a week after the earthquake. Please visit ChurchesHelpingChurches.com to see more of what God is doing to rebuild His church in Haiti.