Please consider donating to Samaritan’s Purse! They are bringing supplies in the name of Jesus Christ to a desperate people who need your prayers and your support. Samaritan’s Purse has a long relationship with the people of Haiti and are trusted by the government and the people.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

Haiti Relief from Samaritan's Purse

The first Samaritan’s Purse cargo plane arrived in Haiti Wednesday with emergency relief supplies for victims of the massive earthquake that rocked the country on Tuesday. The initial shipment included shelter material, hygiene kits, and water purification kits, as well as members of our disaster response team.

Our team is comprised of veterans of many disaster responses, but even they were shocked by what they encountered when they arrived.

“The streets are full of people that have no home to go back to,” said Dr. David Gettle, medical advisor. “They’re running out of food, fuel, and water. The situation is desperate and tense, and there is tremendous suffering.”

Three more flights with personnel and critically needed relief supplies landed Friday. Staff arriving included our team leader, two water engineers, and eight medical personnel to join Dr. Gettle.

Samaritan’s Purse deployed a disaster response team just hours after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the Caribbean in decades to help with water, shelter, medical care, and other emergency needs.

“The damage is staggering in a nation where three out of four people live on less than $2 a day,” Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said. “The people of Haiti need our help like never before.”

We are partnering with HCJB Global, a medical ministry out of Ecuador that will be sending six doctors to join our medical advisor. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is deploying chaplains from its Rapid Response Team to help our team meet spiritual needs.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

Staff with Baptist Haiti Mission, our local partner, report severe damage throughout the area. Power is out, and there is no water.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Kyrk Baker, director of operations for Baptist Haiti Mission. “We have a 100-bed hospital, and right now patients are lining the floor. There are big box vans coming in with people to see a doctor. It’s just unbelievable the amount of people that are lined up trying to get basic medical care.”

Baptist Haiti Mission is located in the mountains outside the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, about 20 miles from the epicenter. The hospital and other buildings are operating on generators.

The massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit the country in 200 years and was felt as far away as Cuba. The tremor sparked widespread panic as it brought down buildings including the presidential palace, hotels, a hospital, and the UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince.

The city “is flattened,” said Haiti’s consul general to the U.N., Felix Augustin. The death toll could be between 45,000 and 50,000, with a further three million people hurt or homeless, a senior Haitian Red Cross official said on Thursday.

The earthquake was centered about 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was felt in the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. Some panicked residents in the capital of Santo Domingo fled from their shaking homes.

Samaritan’s Purse responded in Haiti with emergency food and shelter material in September 2008, when four major storms including Hurricane Ike slammed the Caribbean nation.

“Being able to help people in a time of need demonstrates Christ’s love,” Baker said.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

PRAY:

That people would get the help they need as quickly as possible.

For our team as they show the compassion of Christ to survivors.

That the flights carrying our relief supplies soon will be able to arrive in Haiti.

GIVE:

Please visit our donation page to help us meet the needs of earthquake victims in Haiti.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/responding_to_haiti_earthquake/

Sheri Wood and Ted Foreman on KSTP TV

From Liberia to Eagan

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Ryan Longwell on KTIS

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

>Portions of KTIS Broadcast

Troop 50699

Amanda and Megan from TRoop 50699 with the leaders Rebecca and Sue

Some of the boxes packed by Troop 50699

Just a sample of their box supplies

Our Troop number is 50699 Lead by Rebecca and Sue. Our daughters are Amanda Megan. Our Junior Girl Scouts are 4th and 5th graders. This was our 4th year of packing boxes and we all look forward to this event every year.

This year, we packed 45 boxes. We are blessed to have a local small business support our troop for this event. Hamernick’s Decorating in St. Paul has been generous enough to cover the shipping costs on each and every box, every year!

Throughout the year, the girls collect and save items for the children in need. In November, we all bring our collections to the meeting, sort them and set it all out on tables like a department store. We gather around, say a prayer and begin packing. We make sure that the boxes have a good balance of school supplies, a toothbrush & toothpaste, a washcloth & soap, toys and of course a little candy.

The girls take pride in knowing that these boxes may be the only gift a child receives in their lifetime and they pack them with smiles and good wishes! We always talk about the importance of sharing whatever we can with others. One of our Girl Scouts said, “I wish I could send my bike over to the kids. They would have so much fun with it!”

Troop 21560

The group of scouts with their boxes.

Troop 21549 had fun packing boxes.

Katie and Hannah

Girls from Troop 21594

There were about 80 scouts that gathered to pack boxes. Together they packed 159 boxes.

Ronald McDonald House kids packed Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts along side the MN Vikings Players at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Ted Foreman, a full-circle AND SPY student, assisted in packing hope and joy.

When asked about this very special service project, Persis Elkins, Director of Family Services for Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities responded, “It truly is something special to have kids helping other kids. The children here at the Ronald McDonald House have an acute understanding of what it means to go through difficult times. Who else could put more love into this project than them?”

The Minnesota Vikings are Tyrell Johnson, Artis Hicks, Garret Mills, Colt Anderson, Jon Cooper and Kenny Onatolu.

Minnesota Vikings with the Ronald McDonald Kids

Minnesota Vikings with the Volunteers

Minnesota Viking with Operation Christmas Child Members

Minnesota Viking - Jon Cooper

Minnesota Viking - Artis Hicks

Minnesota Viking - Tyrell Johnson

Minnesota Viking - Kenny Onatolu

Minnesota Viking - Jon Cooper

Minnesota Viking - Colt Anderson

Minnesota Viking - Artis Hicks

Minnesota Viking - Garrett Mills