Earthquake

On August 14, 2021 at 8:29 AM a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Southern Haiti. I was outside playing tennis when it happened. We all ran together and sat down in an open area as the ground rolled and shook with extreme force.

The hours and days following the earthquake were a blur of literally running around trying to organize the chaos that rocked our community and the hospital here. We initially got everyone out of the hospital buildings and then started treating patients outside. Several people injured by the earthquake came to the hospital for care. We did as best we could as we treated them in the yard of the hospital with limited supplies and medications (because entering the buildings at that point was dangerous). I witnessed extreme pain and death as well as birth and new life as we did our best to give care that first day.

The hospital's operating rooms and garage were completely destroyed, as well as one of the missionary family homes. Several other buildings on campus were damaged as well. Because of this, soon after the initial wave of new patients, we stopped accepting patients and instead referred them to hospitals that would be able to operate. 

Aftershocks followed immediately. Some small and some quite large. They kept us up at night and caused us all to be on edge. Many are still sleeping outside for fear of being caught inside a building. Currently we are still occasionally feeling aftershocks, but not near as many as we felt the first two weeks. 

A couple nights after the earthquake, tropical storm Grace passed, bringing lots of rain and wind. 

The community here at Bonne Fin is saddened and they hardly have words to describe this massive setback. Their homes, churches, schools, etc. take several years to build and were taken down in a matter of minutes. But their perspective and acceptance of the situation has amazed me. 

The operating rooms that were destroyed

Several tents have been set up in the hospital yard

Prayer Requests: 

• Pray for local communities that have been affected with such a great loss
• Pray for families who have lost loved ones
• Pray that everyone involved could feel God's love and provision in the long days and weeks ahead
• Pray that we could focus on relationship and discipleship as we walk with the people here

Church is now at 6:30 AM outside

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. - Psalm 46