News Updates

 

 

 

 

 

Servants of All Ministry
P.O. Box 86655
Baton Rouge, La. 70879

Phone 504-913-6985
e-mail: soamhaiti@yahoo.com

SOAM Haiti Earthquake Updates
read all updates below

 

February 4, 2010
Our group of missionaries arrived safely at SOAM Wednesday February 3rd.

The group was able to take a commercial flight into the Dominican Republic and a chartered missionary flight from there to Jacmel Haiti which is about a 2 hour ride from our mission.

A surgeon, nurses, construction minded men and an engineer are among the group on this trip.

I talked to Glenn tonight and he said the medical team had already seen over 150 people on their first day!

He said they treated people that still had open wounds from the original earthquake on January 12th.

Some of the wounds were very infected.  Many Haitian people are ill.  A one year old infant came in with severe malaria and had to be transported to a hospital.

Glenn said they gave out a tremendous amount of needed medicine.

They will be working at other neighboring missions which need help tomorrow.

 

The construction group has already examined the buildings and feels they are all still very strong.  A very good report.

They have begun repairing and reinforcing.  They are adding metal rebar where necessary to make the building stronger.

Right now all are still living and sleeping outdoors under mostly make shift tents.  Doctors Without Boarders, a humanitarian group, has committed to bring us tents soon.

Just about the entire concrete block fence around the perimeter of our mission has collapsed and the group also came up with an efficient and strong way to replace it however the cost will be very expensive.  

 

The military came by last week and tested our main drinking water supply.  The test revealed it was slightly contaminated and recommended a filter or tablets to clean it.

However the vast amount of drinking water needed for the group of nearly 1000 people living at SOAM now would need filters we were not able to locate before the group left.

Today Glenn said one group came by and gave several large water filters and another group came and filled a 400 gallon bladder type set up with clean water.  Of course water is an essential supply for the Haitian people now and lines of people from the community are using our water well daily.  Glenn said tensions rose and they had to lock the well and send everyone home for about two hours today when two people in line started fighting very fiercely with each other.  Evidently one thought the other had cut the line.  It sounds like it was very contained and they got it under control very quickly.

 

The group is making a lot of great progress already and all are happy. 

This group is sacrificing and doing for people who are in a situation where they cannot help themselves…what a beautiful picture of Christ.

We all know God is pleased with them and this work they are carrying out in His name.

It is going to take a tremendous work and effort by many people to show God’s love to the people of Haiti and change a nation.

Thank you for your wonderful prayers and support for Servants of All Ministry.

 

 

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To our contributors - Haiti Relief Donations Qualify for Immediate Tax Relief
Click here to read

 

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Saturday, January 23, 2010 – 11:00am
We were grateful to hear yesterday that Julie Blackaller (one of our 2 remaining missionaries in Haiti) had made it to the states safely! Much love and thanks to Julie for her sacrificial support on the ground in Haiti for the last weeks. Jeff Southern remains there please pray for Jeff’s strength and protection.

 

Glenn, some skilled construction people and a team of dedicated medical professionals from Wisconsin, which includes a surgeon and nurses are trying everything they know to get to Haiti. As of late their second scheduled flight plans have been canceled by American Airlines.

We got report back that all the trade school young men in PAP are safe. Most all the reports of the immediate family members of our young men at college here and at TBI (texas) have been positive.
Reports of some broken arms and other minor injuries. One of their aunt and uncle were killed in their home. Still with the number of people they know this is miraculous. We know some of the children at the mission have lost parents and loved ones. So continue to pray for them.

 

Reports from SOAM in Grand Goave say that food is very expensive and the money exchange rate is about 25% down. The attitude and faith of the children and workers at the mission is inspiring. The missionaries that returned last week expounded on the character of our older boys especially throughout the crisis. None of our family there has a roof over their heads. They still continue to live and sleep outdoors. The pictures we have gotten show cracks in the concrete, Jeff reports a crack that runs across our roof.
The question continues to be – is it salvageable? If it is salvageable should kids be allowed to live in the building with the concrete roof? Friends are coming along side us in this crisis with a vision for getting metal buildings to Haiti for housing and schools. This will be a massive undertaking but with God ALL things are possible. Please do not form plans to go to Servants of All Mission without consulting Glenn Barras (504-913-6985) first for permission. This is going to have to be approved.

 

Please understand that we have no accommodations and this will be coordinated and controlled by leadership. Soon an application will be available here on line for you to submit for consideration of travel to SOAM. We appreciate so much your concern and interest in this hour of great need however it is has to be an orderly and organized effort. This applies to everyone.

 

We are so thankful for the outpouring of support and generosity that you have shown Servants of All Mission. So many decisions are yet to be made. Much prayer for guidance and wisdom for us is appreciated. We feel that God will use this crisis to rebuild better and more effectively, to provide opportunities that were not possible before to our children and the people of Grand Goave and Haiti. Pray that He uses all our efforts to His glory. Pray for opportunities beyond our natural mind but with His supernatural abilities and plan!
Together in Christ – Much Love and Thanks.

 

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Local parents hoping to get to 3-year-old adopted daughter in Haiti
Sandi Polzin and her husband John have been waiting to bring Mazie Grace home to Cadott since she was nine months old. Now, they just want to comfort their toddler and help in anyway they can.
click for video

 

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Saturday, January 16, 2010 (8:30am CT):

We are very grateful to God to be able to report that 8 of the 10 missionaries which remained at SOAM are in the US traveling from Miami to Chicago today.

Praise God that they were able to get to the airport and had safe travels.  We are anxious to speak to them later today for a better report on the conditions at SOAM.

Knowing that our crew there are still sleeping / living outside we must presume we have major structural damage to our facilities there.  Please pray that we can raise the money we will no doubt ably need for these significant projects and relief efforts which face us. You are a constant encouragement to us with your calls of concern, prayer and offers to help – we cannot do this alone.  We praise God for YOU coming along side us during Haiti’s hour of great need.

 

Pray for Julie Blackaller and Jeff Southern who God has there now.  Pray for their safety and strength. It is a comfort to know that they decide to stay there and their commitment to the children is unwaiving.  Our thanks and prayers go to them and to our God which sent them there for a time such as this. 

 

We have not heard any news on the 5 young men we sent to trade school in Port au Prince – much prayer needed for their safety.  This is Dees, Ivantz, Frank, T-Henri and Clemont.

 

Please also be in prayer for the young men that are here and now in Canada from Servants of All.  They are so concerned about their loved ones which they haven’t heard from in Grand Goave, Carrefour and in Port Au Prince.  We have Claudy Jean Pierre, Venol Mercier and Daniel Trahan at TBI in Columbus Texas all have family and friends in Haiti which they long to hear from. Capitan (Luxone) Mercier and Gilbert Jacques are in Canada and as you can see from Capitan’s email below their despair for the people of Haiti is so great.

 

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Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 9:50 PM

Hey Mrs. Wendy,

We are doing fine here in Canada. I was very devastated about the news in Haiti. Please let me know some details about SOAM. Some friends of mine died in Grand-Goave from the quake. What happened is indescribable. Haiti will never be the same; this country, with all the poor living conditions and infrastructures, cannot take such a hard hit! You've been to Haiti- you know how those people are- You would describe them as the ones who believe in the IMPOSSIBLE. You know why missionaries describe haitians as smiling people? The answer is simple: they know if they make it today, that is something they should be thankful for. In a country like this, hope is what keeps those people going. Let me end this here before I start crying.

 

 Love you too,

 Caputo & Ruth

(Luxone and Ruth Mercier)

 

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3:00 pm Thursday, January 14, 2010

We are receiving our first emails from the missionaries at our complex in Haiti.

The subject line of the email said “We’re OK” - what a blessing that is to hear!

Besides the very necessary reassuring loved ones that they are well this was a Jeff Southern’s quote:

“Quake damage everywhere, not as bad at SOAM. All of our kids are OK. Building has some structural damage, so we sleep in the courtyards. Food will be a concern in a few days, but for now we are fine. We aren't sure about flights yet? If nothing else, we're told the Marines will allow our group to leave on one of the Supply planes...  Keep yours ears open and think positive thoughts... We're OK, really! Had a baby born last night bya woman who is among the hundreds in our courtyard. A miracle among this devastation.”

Julie’s email to her husband Pat said that our building was damaged beyond repair and that a larger building next door to ours had collapsed to the ground.  

We thank God for the good news and courageous spirits that He has given this group! 

 

In the US we are praying and getting many encouraging calls of support.  Working many avenues to get supplies, manpower and funds to our crew – something should happen very soon!  Praise God.

 

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

From Julie Blackaller – at SOAM mission in Haiti

Our group and everyone at SOAM is fine.  There is destruction everywhere and uncountable deaths throuhout Haiti... some around us.  I was on the second level of our building with a sick child, a nurse & another lady in my room when the first quake hit. I was on the bed with the child when the bed collapsed.  The dresser fell on one of the ladies.  I pulled it off and we got out of the building.  Jeff was on that floor also.  God blessed us.  Our building is still standing, although we have some structural damage.  The end of our building is not safe... and the huge building next to us collapsed.  There is so much damage everywhere.  90% of Port-Au-Prince is supposedly destroyed.  If our building had collapsed like so many others, I'm not sure we would have survived.

 

We are sleeping on the ground - all of SOAM and many from the community - hundreds of people.  The first quake registered 7.3 or 7.0 on the Richter scale.  Since then we have had 40 quakes, not even counting the ones today.

 

We have food for a few days, but this may become a problem.  We are trying to feed many.  The U.S. is supposed to send help.  Please pray for everyone in Haiti..  I don't know how much e-mail access I will have after this.

 

I love all of you, and I am fine.  Pray that we know how to help.  In the midst of all of this, there was a baby born last night a few feet from me.  She's beautiful.  Another family I know lost their baby.  The Haitians sing pray & worship throughout the night.  This is also beautiful.  I may be able to contact again, but don't count on it. 

 

I LOVE YOU ALL,

Julie

 

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January 13, 2010
We have an urgent prayer request regarding the earthquake which hit around Carrefour Haiti yesterday evening.
We have heard a few sketchy details regarding Servants of All Ministry and Praise God all indications are that the children and missionaries staying there are fine. We have some word that the 14 missionaries we have there from Wisconsin are safe and staying at a neighboring mission called Lifeline but we do not know why.

 

We have no report on our 5 young men that are staying in Port Au Prince and were attending trade school there. Please pray for them. We have no report on the conditions of our buildings at the mission in Grand Goave. Our mission was about 20-30 miles from the center of the quake. There are reports on television and internet of extensive damage in these areas and impassable roadways from Port Au Prince to Grand Goave. Most maps I’ve seen do not show Grand Goave. It is just east of the city of Petit Goave and just west of the city of Leogane.

 

Please pray that God would show Himself mighty and that we would have many good reports of His miraculous presence throughout this disaster. We pray with great confidence that He is going to protect us, be our guide and be our provision to help not only our people but to be a light for Him in Haiti now. We are praying specifically for guidance from Him on where we can be the most help as it is our heart to be there but we do not know if that is possible or wise.

 

We thank anyone who can help us with prayer and finances during this time as there will be so much need. We are seeking out avenues now on ways to send food and supplies. We hope to be able to do that very soon. Please pray for them and their safety. In Jesus name… Wendy Barras 504-259-9240

 

 

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