August 16, 2021

Dear friends,

By now, you have likely read or heard the news that Haiti suffered another devastating earthquake on Saturday morning, August 14. Though there has been tremendous damage and loss of life in the southwestern region of the country, our partners on La Gonâve Island are safe, have suffered no damage, and have only felt a few aftershocks.

We pray with the people of Haiti, who have so much to hold during these difficult days, with a collapsed government, gang violence, and now a natural disaster.

And we give thanks to God for the strength and resilience of the people of Haiti, who are already overcoming tremendous obstacles to rush medical aid to the people in the southwest region. This morning, August 16, Ste. Croix Hospital in Léogâne sent doctors, nurses, and supplies to the Episcopal University of Haiti in Cayes, in the region most affected by the earthquake.

Father Jean Madoché Vil, Priest-in-Charge of the Episcopal Parish of the island of La Gonâve, continues to report that there has been minimal damage on the island and no deaths as a result of the earthquake. The areas hit by the epicenter are the South, Southeast, and Nippes departments on the mainland, and the number of deaths are now at 1287, with over 6500 people injured and numerous buildings destroyed. As you probably have read in the news, this is an area with considerable gang violence that has blocked the roads to the area making evacuation of injured very difficult. However, they are working on a cease fire to enable disaster relief efforts to be more effective.

Let us pray together:

God of all people, of every place and land, we join our hearts in prayer especially today with the people of Haiti. We pray that you will continue to strengthen them for the days ahead, giving the people the energy, wisdom, courage, and protection they need to serve those who have suffered loss of life, injury, and property damage. We pray for those few left who are governing the country, that they will turn toward your will and way, listening to and heeding the people, and guiding Haiti in a way that brings justice and abundant life to all. We pray that you will help us on the outside to listen to and heed the people of Haiti as well, learning with open hearts and minds how we might join in your mission alongside our siblings in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.

PC(USA) Mission Coworker Cindy Corell joins the voices of our denominational partners, the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, in directing our financial support for earthquake relief to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance:

“I had only worked with PDA at sites in the U.S. before Hurricane Matthew. When Matthew hit in October 2016, our network, FONDAMA, was in touch with them. They sent a small delegation to visit with members of our affected organizations. They listened, closely. We were able to hire a consultant with a lot of experience in that region, and they worked together. I saw them work together—speaking French and English, to understand precisely what the needs were, what the obstacles would be, who was harmed, how many families. And they went to the field! They met on porches and looked at damage. They were not people who work in offices—but in the mud and the broken houses and the footsteps of our siblings in Haiti. They heard their cries, and they answered with a well-thought-out plan that brought gardens for hungry people and seed silos that could withstand hurricanes and storms. And a year later, one of the men I met was with another delegation from a church. He held up an ear of corn. He said, ‘This isn't from the seeds you gave me. This is from the seed of the seeds you gave me.’ This earthquake is affecting the same communities as Hurricane Matthew. Same families. So, we have the structure and people in place to work up and implement an appropriate response.”

Click on the button below to donate to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and continue to pray for our friends there and for all the people affected by this disaster.

Rev. Leigh Bonner
Director of Global Mission
First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has had long-standing partnerships in Haiti for decades. These meaningful relationships enable us to come alongside communities affected by disaster in the immediate aftermath, as well as support communities planning multi-year, long-term recovery projects.

Most recently, PDA is responding to the devastating 7.2 magnitude that struck Haiti the morning of August 14, 2021 that has resulted in the loss of more than 1,200 lives. Working closely with Presbyterian World Mission, ACT Alliance and our traditional partners on the ground, PDA is responding to emergency needs such as WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), emergency power generators, shelter, food, first aid and more. We remain committed to the long-term recovery.