Update #8 from our partner El Shaddai Ministries

Received on Jan. 25th at 4pm:

Dear Friends,
Tomorrow will make it 14 days since this devastating earthquake. The pressure and intensity to get aid to the people have not subsided. Time and resources continue to be our greatest challenges with still not enough food and medical care reaching the people with the greatest need. For example in Les Cayes alone, 150,000 refugees are now there from PAP. Louis wrote on Friday:

"I just talked with some key leaders in the south. The demand is so high and we don't have the means to meet it. The churches are crowded. People came from all over and they don't have anywhere to go. Most of the people, before they left the villages, sold their land and everything. So now they have to start again. Please continue to pray with us. We have so much medical need that a whole month of 100 doctors will not be enough to serve every body. So many people fled PAP with broken bones and severe, life threatening and infected injuries. We have a hospital at Bonne Fin which my father build. It has 300 beds. All of them are occupied and patients are on the floor. We have at Cite Lumiere another Medical Clinic equip with 75 beds. Same story."

Below is an update on the response that has come in to the immediate needs mentioned on January 17:

1. Containers with Food Supply via the DR-To date, ESMI has sent in 6 food containers and distributed with over 100 Haitian volunteers from the South helping.

2. Food Containers from the US- We have a container that will be ready to leave by this Wednesday from Miami to the DR. God's willing, it should be in Haiti early next week.

3. Medical Teams: 47 nurses and doctors are currently in Haiti. Thanks to Lisa, Susie, Julie and Fabiana for coordinating this. They have medical teams lined up to go in and out up to the end of February. Please contact esmieletter@aol.com if you would like to be a part of a medical team.

4. Tents for Churches and homes: thanks to Brother Ed who secured forty-five 10x12ft tents that can each house a family of 10 people. God's willing, these will be shipped by Wednesday to the DR and should be cleared by the end of this week to be given to the families most in need.

As ESMI continues to work on the above 4 needs, we will also begin to do the following:

5. ESMI has identified 400 pastors to begin a more intentional network of food distribution. On Wednesday, January 27, ESMI's leadership team will meet with these pastors in PAP. It is important that these leaders be empowered also to participate in the effort. This is a work that cannot be done alone. It is bigger than any one church or any one organization. With a unified effort, the church in Haiti can help meet the needs of her people.

6. There is the need for 3 huge tents to hold congregations with 2000 members. Most of the churches in PAP were destroyed. The congregations are on the streets. ESMI has identified 3 locations with key leaders for these. The desire is to encourage and rebuild the spiritual life of the Haitian church. What a wonderful opportunity to share the good news that in the midst of such hopelessness, there is hope in God.

7. Containers to be packed with tents, cots, sheets, blankets, food for immediate consumption, etc. God willing, the ports in Haiti should be opening up in a week. Ed has graciously agreed to offer his time to coordinate this effort. Please contact Ed at 1-561-988-0253. He will also assist in the coordinating efforts of the food containers from Miami.

8. Pray that by the end of this week ESMI would have secured a piece of land for temporary housing.

9. There is a need for about 6 Mack dump trucks. Once the food gets to PAP on containers, it must be reloaded onto dump trucks for distribution into the different areas of need. This is the best way to get the food out into those communities. Later these trucks will be used in clearing debris and bringing in construction material. Why Mack dump trucks? They are long-lasting trucks and the parts are easily available. There are excellent mechanics, like DouDou, who can make anything go as long as they have the parts available. To have piles of food and no means to get them to the people is a dilemma that the international aid community is now facing.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support.
El Shaddai Ministries International
13651 S. Biscayne River Drive
Miami, FL 33161
website: esmihome.org