Dear Friends of Mercy International,
We want to take a moment to thank you for your continued prayers and support for God’s children in Haiti, as well as to update you on the situation.
Now, several days after the storm passed through, we are learning more about the devastation left in its path, especially in the newly constructed village of Dèyè Mòn. According to news reports, Matthew has destroyed over 80% of crops in southern Haiti and the death toll is near 1000 and still rising. Life in Southwest Haiti was already difficult, but surviving this storm was only the beginning of the struggle for those who remain. Each passing moment reveals new needs, but we wanted to give you an update on what we know and how you can help with our plan of action.
The Village of Dèyè Mòn
Donate to:
Provide food for the immediate recovery effort (need is $2000/week)
Provide repairs to the existing homes (need is $7,000)
Build homes on the remaining 16 lots in the village (need is $150,000)
This newly constructed village is a refuge for elderly widows who live near the mountains. Four houses had already been built and six more were in beginning stages of construction. Unfortunately, it is located exactly where the eye of Hurricane Matthew passed through. Praise the Lord, the completed houses are still standing and everyone staying in them is safe and sound. However, their roofs were destroyed which left all food and bedding exposed to the elements.
The villagers are taking shelter in a local school, along with about 500 others from the area. The immediate need is food. They have lost their main source of food – gardens and fruit trees. We are working with several organizations to get food to this area to prevent starvation. Please pray that God would open a clear path for food to be delivered to this area.
Key bridges are gone and transportation to the village is dangerous. This has prevented outside aid from reaching the area. However, a local missionary reports that at night you can still hear singing and prayers in the midst of it all!
The hurricane has destroyed most of the houses in this area, so our near term desire is to build an additional 16 houses here. Without them, the widows and their families will have nowhere to go. In addition to providing life saving shelter, the construction of these homes will provide countless Haitian laborers with income that will help their families.
We are also grieving the loss of Madame Nancy Noel. If you recall, she was the widow living in terrible conditions in Dèyè Mòn. The plan was for her to be in her new house by October 7th, but God had another plan. She is now rejoicing with Jesus in her eternal home in Heaven. She had a huge impact on our lives and will continue to inspire us.
The Village of Merci de Dieu
Donate to:
Provide food for the immediate recovery effort (need is $3,200/week)
Provide repairs to the existing homes (need is $3,000)
Merci de Dieu is located in Gressier, Haiti which is about 20 miles southwest of Port au Prince. We were thankful to hear that for the most part the village is doing well and everyone is safe. However, the roads to the village were heavily damaged during the storm. The main issue at Merci de Dieu is lack of food. Pastor Etienne and Lussade are in the process of figuring out how to get rice and beans to the village. Please be in prayer that the food delivery is successful and that the generators will continue working, so that the village has access to it’s well. Water from the well can be boiled for drinking and cooking, which is a huge blessing to the villagers!
Pastor Etienne and Les Cayes
Our Director of Operations, Pastor Etienne, and his family live in Les Cayes, which was ravaged by Hurricane Matthew. He and his family are all safe, praise God, but have lost much in the storm. He left his family a few days ago to check on the widows in the village of Dèyè Mòn. It was very difficult for him to get there because of damaged and washed out roads. After traveling by motorcycle for four hours he finally arrived. Pastor Etienne said he had to pause to “let the pain out.” Despite surviving the 2010 earthquake, he was in shock when he got there and said, “I couldn’t find words to describe what I saw.” He has been working tirelessly to get to those in desperate need. Please pray for his safety as he is traveling on dangerous roads and through flooding to get food and medical care to the villages. He needs God’s protection.
In closing
God has been so good to remind us throughout this past week that He is in control and is able to do mighty things. Mercy International is committed to helping the villagers and those in surrounding areas, but we need your prayers and financial support to do so.
We hope to send a team of nurses soon to both of these areas. We also have a team going in November to assess the damage and work with the villagers.
Thank you for your faithful support and prayers. We are so incredibly grateful for you and all that God provides.
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