Six Months of God's Work in Haiti

July 19, 2010

The first of a series of stories looking at CRC involvement in Haiti six months following the earthquake.

July 19, 2010 -- More than six months after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, the Christian Reformed Church in North America and its partners remain busy in that Caribbean country, working in many ways to restore, rebuild, and help to bring about reconciliation among those impacted by the disaster.


   Watch CRWRC's video "Haiti: A Six-Month Update"

Agencies in the CRC are doing what they have been doing for 30 years in Haiti: Bringing the saving message of Christ to the people through many means, including supporting churches, distributing the necessities of life, and, in this case, rebuilding homes and other structures destroyed in the earthquake.

To help pay for the reconstruction work in Haiti, people in the CRC and beyond have contributed more than $10 million to help the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the relief and development arm of the CRC, and other church agencies do work in Haiti.

“The scale of the disaster is enormous and its impact on the people of Haiti is difficult to comprehend from afar, but Haitians are incredibly resilient and somehow life goes on,” writes Wayne de Jong, international relief and rehabilitation director for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in a letter to the agency’s supporters.

“Wherever you look you see that people are striving to rebuild their lives and t you get a sense of their determination and optimism. Although the reconstruction work has only really just begun, there is progress and there is hope.”

International Disaster Relief and Recovery

Ron and Lauris Fuller are the International Relief Managers working in Haiti for CRWRC in the area around Leogane, which was the epicenter of the earthquake.

“Six weeks to live – that is a poignant phrase,” the Fullers write in their most recent newsletter. “It can mean a lot of things but for us, it means we have had six weeks to experience life and walk alongside the people of Leogane.”

CRWRC seeks to serve communities around the world in circumstances of injustice, poverty, or disaster in such a way that they are transformed and their situations improved in sustainable ways.

CRWRC also remembers that survivors of disasters are image bearers of God, and, as such, are participants in their recovery rather than ‘objects’ of relief activities. With these thoughts as our ‘measuring sticks,’ we ask: ‘How are things going inLeogane?’” write the Fullers.

At the time of their report, CRWRC International Disaster Relief workers were busy surveying and providing for the needs in the towns of Masson, Luitor, Flon, Macombe and Croix des Pere.

In addition, Advisory Community Committees had been formed in each town to work closely with the CRWRC team to help provide advice and assistance in all aspects of the project.

Rubble clearing had begun by area residents using a tool loaning system; tarps have been distributed to areas in which CRWRC is working; transitional shelters are being built; wells and latrines have been dug; food has been distributed to towns in need; cash payments of $100 per family of five have been distributed to help replace lost or damaged household goods and purchase hygiene items; and homes that were destroyed are being rebuilt

An education program for children to address psychosocial needs is underway, as are psychosocial workshops to help adults traumatized by the earthquake.

So far, CRWRC International Disaster Relief workers have distributed food to 4,603 households; provided funds for immediate needs to 2,331 households; distributed 2078 tarps; built 103 transitional shelter and has plans to build 1,200 more.

Soon, CRWRC will launch income generation and livelihood projects that will help create jobs, improve agricultural yields, and rebuild the economy, says the Fuller’s report.

--Chris Meehan, CRC Communications