In the streets of Port-au-Prince

Before and after the earthquake

The sun was still overhead, but the sensation of spiritual oppression was all around us.  We walked from the presidential palace, whole floors collapsed, past the piles of rubble which had been the Haitian treasury building.  A caravan of military vehicles made its way through the recently plowed streets. More than three weeks after the earthquake of January 12, 2010, very little had changed.  Broken cinder blocks and twisted rebar still covered city blocks, and a look upward revealed rooflines at every angle to the sky – but none of them as they should be.  These buildings, businesses and homes were now unintended mausoleums, housing the bodies of thousands of children and adults.  The living were still wandering in the streets, or tucked away under tarps in the rapidly growing tent cities.  The rains are coming soon, and new tragedy will follow.

But amidst all this darkness, chaos and devastation, God’s light is shining.  No amount of death or destruction can overcome it, because darkness is merely the absence of light.  Bring a shadow into the light, and it is gone.  Jesus promised that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against His Kingdom.

In the next month, we are working to see a new community built, representative of the new Haiti.  Homes, businesses, classrooms, a clinic, a community center, a playground.  Churches, a ministry training center for evangelism and discipleship, a character-based leadership institute, vocational training, youth ministry and more.  Clean water, food security and micro-finance will be included.  This is all flowing out of an alliance between the Christian University of Haiti, the National Evangelical University of the Dominican Republic, and a network of churches and ministries such as The Global Mission.  We are inviting followers of Jesus Christ to join with us in helping develop this model community, and to replicate it throughout the country.

Districts of Haiti

There is much work ahead, but already the people of Haiti know that it is the Church that has responded to their cries – not government or secular NGOs.  Thousands await the touch of His hand, the work of His people.  We look toward a day when the streets of Haiti’s capital are busy with Christ’s disciples, proclaiming the Gospel and reaching out to the nations.  When the light of God shines brightly through the darkness and heralds announce to the world that Jesus is the Savior.