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| March - April 2010 | |||||||||||
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(Quote from Pastor Joel right after the earthquake.) You all are aware of the tremendous devastation which took place in Haiti on January 12. The count of the dead is now 300,000. Nearly all the businesses in downtown Port-au-Prince are destroyed. I received so many messages from missionary friends there. Here are a few: “Another unpredictable day but thankful we are not in charge.” A wiser One is. “May we continue to understand what abide means.” A mother anticipating going to the airport with her young children. “Do I shield their eyes or do I let them see?” 
PRAISE THE LORD “Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord all the earth.” It is great to know that our joy and praise is not controlled by circumstances around us. We can praise Him when the sun is shining and we can praise Him when there are storms all around. Praise Him, He never changes. Pastor Joel and all his family survived. This is not to say they are not suffering the trauma and fear of aftershocks. Just this morning, February 23 at 1:23 there was a 4.7 earthquake. Pastor Joel says they all ran out of the house and will be sleeping outside again. Marie, Pastor Joel’s wife has been in the U.S. for several weeks with a major health problem. She was hospitalized for 9 days. She has been discharged but under Doctor’s care and may have to go back into the hospital. Their daughter, Miriholl, is with her. Six people of Vine Church have lost their lives including one little girl. We know, to date, there are 54 church families in need of food. Of these, 94 are children. There are 4 widows, 3 elderly and one child orphaned, having lost her mother and sister. Fourteen homes are destroyed. In Haiti when you rent you pay a year in advance. There are 22 renting families whose homes are destroyed. They have no place to live and have lost their rent money. Vine Church is standing, however, the engineers have determined the east side wall upstairs has cracks. U.S. engineers are of the opinion if there is another earthquake it might collapse and create an impact on the roof of the sanctuary. This could then result in the domino effect. I need to correct my previous statement that there are people living in the church. Several families have their salvaged belongings there but live outside because of the damage. One family’s children are sleeping in Pastor Joel’s pickup. Sunday services are held outside the church until repairs are made. Many survivors have left Port-au-Prince to go to the country to live with relatives. An estimated ½ of the city’s population remain in Port-au-Prince. They make their beds in the streets and city parks under stars away from the concrete walls and roofs that threaten to fall on them. Their houses have collapsed burying belongings and loved ones. They are afraid the aftershocks will do to them what the quake did to their families and neighbors. Haiti’s future is about rebuilding lives……lives without homes, without mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors. They face daily survival. What will we eat today? There is no use planning for the future if we cannot survive today. Please pray for these dear people as they struggle to survive. The Church of the Brethren has a medical team scheduled to arrive March 21. I am planning to arrive March 19 to provide transportation for part of the team and assist in whatever way I can. On March 27 Bob Gigliotti from Pittsburgh, PA will join me for a 10 day stay with Vine Ministry. Bob will be making a video for Vine Ministry and we will be assisting wherever we can. Please pray for the safety of the medical team and for Bob and me. Pray that we will be able to accomplish what God puts in our hand to do. It is very difficult to find a place to stay. Pastor and Mrs. Joel have graciously opened their home to Bob and me. One friend suggested we bring a tent and sleeping bag in case the quakes or shocks continue. I may just do that. I am currently spending some time in Texas with our daughter, Amy, and granddaughter, Tori, so I will be flying out of Dallas and back to Dallas. Soon thereafter I will be returning home. The outpouring of your giving to Vine Ministry in response to the disaster is phenomenal. Because of your generosity Vine Ministry has been able to get some money into Pastor Joel’s hand just a few days after the quake. One friend of the ministry sent cash with a Doctor who was going to Haiti. He and Pastor Joel were able to meet before Western Union was back in operation. What a blessing!!!! Western Union was at first making transactions to Haiti and not charging a transfer fee. Just yesterday I sent another $3,000 to Pastor Joel to feed the people at Vine Church. This will be distributed on February 28. · During the past month Vine Ministry has received the following contributions: · In memory of Phyllis Myers from Richard Myers · In memory of Melinda Cook from her grandmother, Ruby Cook · In memory of Clee Jaggar and Anna Belle Shively from Blue River Church of the Brethren · In honor of Kisle and Dale Lynn · The Ruby children sent their Lemonade Stand money for the Haiti Relief Fund. · Vine Ministry received a grant from Church of the Brethren to feed the 94 children in Vine Church. God Bless you all is my prayer. You are wonderful support group. Thank you does not adequately express what I feel in my heart. Your missionary, Evelyn Dick Vine Ministry is receiving funds for relief in Haiti. You may send them to Vine Ministry, PO Box 71283, Albany, GA 31708 earmarked for Haiti Relief. Be assured that every dollar you send will be used for this purpose. Nothing will be taken out for administration. January Contributions: 62% Building Fund Second Phase: $241,682.41 Haiti Relief Fund: $53,841.96 Evelyn’s Email: haitibabemema1@aol.com Home Phone: 229-438-0912 Cell Phone: 229-291-3480 Visit us at our Website: www.vineministry.org. |
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Evelyn Dick #735
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