A Haitian woman is helped from the rubble of a damaged building on Jan. 12, in Port-au-Prince after a huge earthquake   measuring 7.0 rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, toppling buildings and causing widespread damage and panic, officials and AFP witnesses said. AFP / Getty Images / Daniel Morel         

Good news: more disciples have been found. Fewer disciples dead than first thought. 70% of homes destroyed or badly damaged. Disciples gather on site of destroyed church property serving others who stay with them.

On Tuesday January 12, 2010 at 4:52 pm, a powerful earthquake that registered a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale hit Haiti. The earthquake hit 16 miles West of Port-au-Prince at a depth of 8.1 miles. The movements were felt throughout all the regions of Haiti varying from moderate to severe. The OPC (Organization for the Protection of Civilians) had an initial evaluation that the movements were moderate in the North, average in the South and South-West regions and severe in the West and South-East, particularly in the urban areas of Jacmel (south-east), Leogane, Petit-Goave, but mostly in the urban community of Port-au-Prince where hundreds of thousands of deaths are expected along with considerable material damage and their consequence on the surviving population. Between 20 and 30% of the houses have been destroyed or are greatly damaged; roads have been cut, electric poles toppled, means of communication made very difficult…

Our Christian community was not spared; the church building was destroyed; of the homes of disciples, more than 40% have been destroyed; 30% have been damaged and nearly 20% have been slightly affected. We have received new information confirming that only 5 disciples have died and two children of disciples. Also, only 50 now are unaccounted for. Many have lost family members (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters etc.) and almost 100% have lost at least an extended family member or acquaintance

Approximately 120 people (disciples and close relatives) are housed on the church property and dozens pass through every day to receive a hot meal. About 220 disciples-who, before the earthquake, lived outside of Port-au-Prince- have chosen to remain close to home for many reasons which include staying close to relatives, fear that looters will come and take away their possessions- in homes that were damaged but not destroyed by the earthquake- if left unwatched etc.

The environment in Port-au-Prince is becoming increasingly chaotic and difficult. Indeed, decomposing corpses under the rubbles everywhere, dust, hunger, thirst, and sometimes the aggressiveness of the victims of the Earthquake all are signs that remaining in Port-au-Prince will not be easy. All community health care experts fear a health crisis in the city more devastating than the earthquake itself. The life and health of disciples who come to serve the victims are exposed as are the victims themselves. For this reason, in an effort to protect the life and health or our community, the ministry staff, church board and Hope-Haiti board spent time discussing the need to move those who are benefitting from our services to a another city.

Haitians walk past damaged buildings on Jan. 12, in Port-au-Prince after a huge earthquake measuring 7.0 rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, toppling buildings and causing widespread damage and panic.
AFP / Getty Images / Daniel Morel

The city of Mirebalais was considered for the following reasons: 1) Its strategic position; located only an hour from Port-au-Prince and the Dominican Republic; 2) It was not touched by the earthquake and 3) there is already a church there. This would allow us to encourage the local church and at the same time keep disciples travelling with us from weakening in their faith. Some disciples were sent to look for a site in Mirebalais that the church could use.

However, after further considerations, another factor came into play which caused us to come to a diametrically opposite conclusion. Though it is true that the aforementioned concerns about Port-au-Prince pose serious threats to our wellbeing, it is on the other end becoming increasingly unsafe to be in an isolated area as bandits who have escaped from the penitentiary in PAP are beginning to cause trouble.

The brothers have expressed serious concerns that if our church community was to relocate to a place outside of the city we would be isolated and more vulnerable to the attacks of bandits-especially if we appear to be receiving supplies on a regular basis. We have had then to reconsider our plan to relocate and for the time being have decided to stay on the property which for the most part poses no security concerns. We have also been pleased to learn that U.N workers have begun removing corpses that are buried under rubbles and that in the process they also disinfect the area as to kill potential germs and bacteria-which was a primary concern and cause for relocating.

Stanley Dumornay

Evangelist, New York City Church (former leader of Haitian churches)

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