This page will be updated with the latest information we receive about the earthquake in Haiti. Please check back often for updates. 

Haiti Cheri has been providing relief to refugees streaming out of the Port-au-Prince area to the north of the country. International aid has been concentrated in the south, and is not following the refugees as they leave Port-au-Prince into the provinces. That is where we have been playing our part. Haiti Cheri is providing assistance to refugees in hospitals and temporary camps in the form of food assistance, medical assistance, and help with their personal needs. Hospitals in Haiti have no food service and do not fill prescriptions. Patients are dependent on family and friends to look after them. Since so many refugees have lost all family contacts, we are filling the gap. In the longer term, our Microfinance program will help refugees establish a new life and provide for themselves and for their families. We continue to need your prayers and financial assistance.

Haiti Cheri provides relief to refugees in hospitals in Cap-Haitien and nearby areas.

Teams from the USA are scheduled for April and July to travel  the northern part of the country. These teams will provide food and medical relief, and will evaluate long term prospects to provide assistance through our Microfinace program. People are migrating out of the Port-au-Prince area back to their home communities. As that happens the needs will deepen throughout the country as a whole. We will do what we can to meet those needs where we have established relationships.

Haiti Cheri is committed to the Haitian people for the long haul. We cannot exaggerate the scope of this disaster in an already fragile place like Haiti. It is important to realize that we will be there long after the media loses interest and focus moves on to the next disaster to afflict the world. The country still has not recovered from the hurricanes of 2004 and 2008, and the earthquake is now a final blow to many people. The impact will linger long after the first week or the first month, and we will be there with our friends and partners in ministry. 

We encourage you to click the Donate Now button below and contribute while it is on your mind. You can designate your donation to earthquake relief on the donation page if you so desire. We will post additional updates as information becomes available. Please pray for us that God will grant us the wisdom we need to respond as effectively as possible, and in a way that will bring glory to Him.

Update 02/24/10 10:30PM

From Pastor Fontus Obas, in the remote village of Acul Samedi. We provide Microfinance assistance to this village.

I’m sure you have been receiving updates on the situation in Haiti. Now that the rescue efforts are pretty much over, the real work begins and more than ever we desperately need the help of Haiti Cheri Harvest Ministry to help feed and care for many people seeking refuge in the provinces. Many of them fled Port-au-Prince for the provinces with just the clothes on their back, with no money and no family members to take care of them. Several of our church members in Acul-Samedi open their homes to help complete strangers in need. I myself have two families staying at my house right now since they have no place to go and no food to eat. For those that were injured, the situation is even worse because our already overcrowded hospitals and clinics are ill-equipped to handle basic injuries, let alone these complicated cases. Many of those patients are getting infections and possibly facing death soon. More than humanitarian help, we need your prayers so that God can use this situation to draw attention to Him and bring the revival we so desperately need in Haiti!

Rev. Fontus Obas

Update 02/02/10 10:30PM

From Gethro Clebert, our Program Director in Haiti.

Brother Dan, Brother Oris, Haiti Cheri in general,

In the name of all Haitian brothers and sisters, I thank you very much for this aid that brings a great relief to our suffering after this enormous disaster. I thank you personally because I was waiting for your help, and I made a personal contribution to the survivors as well. In combination with my small personal contribution, the funding provided the means for Haiti Cheri to be on the ground during this drama in a big way. I was able to give the Haiti Cheri contribution to the missionary ladies from Wesleyan Church who already cooked food twice for more than 500 sick people and their families that are in the Milot hospital, an American standard hospital, in a high school, and a teacher preparatory school. Since the number of victims were so great, I gave the second part of the food to Justinien Hospital in Cap-Haitien. Not only were we able to give food, last week we also were able to give medicine for the sick people. I can’t begin to tell you the satisfaction and contentment this brought to the ones who are suffering and left on their own in this terrible time. 

The work is not standing still. We are continuing to assist the victims. Next Thursday we will do laundry for them and Saturday we will provide food for them again. Please, always remember us in prayer. The road is long and we dare not give up. Please, my brothers and sisters, remember Haiti in your prayers. Finally, thank you, thank you, thank you very much!

Gethro Clebert

Update 01/25/10 2:30PM

From our friend and partner in ministry, Pastor Wesly Saintador in Cap-Haitien.

Dear friends,

I hope you and your family is doing well by the grace of God. Pastor Oris, let me begin by telling you that what you are hearing and seeing on television is nothing compared the incomprehensible reality of the situation in Haiti! As you are very well aware of the fact that Haiti is very centralized and all of our resources are in Port-au-Prince; which means if Port-au-Prince is destroyed, the entire country is in destroyed! The devastation in Port-au-Prince has a direct impact on Cap-Haitian as well since people who lost their homes, jobs and businesses are fleeing the capital to find refuge in Cap-Haitian and other provinces. The sudden influx of people causes the price of food and basic necessities to spike out of control, making it even harder for the poor to survive. Without divine intervention, I’m convinced many will die of starvation within a month's time. Our regional hospitals are overwhelmed with the influx of patients with broken legs, hands and hips. Since the hospitals were already overcrowded, they now have to use other school locations to try to accommodate the overwhelming number of patients. Most of these patients left Port-au-Prince with just the clothes on their back and have no family support in Cap-Haitian. The situation is unimaginable!

As far as our church family is concerned, we unfortunately lost 12 of our members to the tragic quake. Many of the university students already came back to Cap-Haitian and we were able to make travel arrangements for 8 of them. Many of them don’t even have clothes to wear since they lost everything in the earthquake. As a church, we would love to extend significant help to them, but unfortunately our resources are very limited.

My family is doing well, but the shocking images from Port-au-Price haunt me constantly and I’m very heartbroken. Pastor Oris, words cannot explain the severity of this tragic situation!

Thank you so much for your prayers. Whatever you guys can do to help Haiti will be greatly appreciated. We are open to any ideas that can help us meet some of our basic needs as soon as possible.

Your brother in Christ,

Wesly Saintidor

Update 01/22/10 12:00PM

From our friend and partner in ministry, Pastor Wesly Saintador in Cap-Haitien.

Thanks a lot for keeping contact. I was in Port- au-Prince last week to look for one daughter of my aunt, sister of my mother. Sorry to say, she's dead. I was back to Cap-Haitien last Saturday but I became sick because of very bad things I saw at P-a-P. This is an unimaginable disaster. I cannot find words to explain it. 

So, I seize the plan you're building to help. Thanks for the information. I'm always ready to give back. However, the situation starts to become tough in Cap-Haitien because of the migration of many people from P-a-P to Cap.

Step by step, I will give you information. Don't neglect to tell me what do you think to do and we will be in concert together.

Your friend in Christ.

Pastor Wesly

Update 01/20/10 6:00PM

From Dr. Rolph Richeme at the Justinien Hospital in Cap-Haitien.

It was around 5:00 this morning there was a panic in the building of Hopital Justinien in Cap-Haitian where the residents live. There was just a small quake for a few seconds. A lot more cracks appeared on the walls of the building. Now then it is not safe at all to live in the building, we still don't know where to go or what to do. We met the director of the hospital and a member of MINHUSTA (the United Nations) who visited the building, we ask them to make tents for us in the yard of the hospital but they told us that they will see what they can do but nothing has been done yet. It is so fearsome to give medical care and knowing that where we live and where we give care can collapse anytime.

In Hopital Justinien, we have received around 500 patients victims from the quake of Port-au-Prince most of them are ortho patients. Konbit Sante, religious congregations in Cap-Haitian are helping a lot with medical supplies taking care of patients. Some We have been working day and night taking care of the victims. One of our worst problem is finding blood for our patients, we just loose a patient in the OR for this reason.
May God help us.
Rolph

Update 01/18/10 8:00PM

From Gethro Clebert, our Program Director in Haiti.

Thank you for your prayer and your support for my family and country. As you know communication is extremely difficult, so I went to Port-au-Prince to get some news about my family. Bless the Lord I only encountered one death some injuries and collapsed homes for the closest ones. When I say bless the Lord I mean it because hearing and seeing are two different things.

I was in Port-au-Prince for the past 2 days what I saw I cannot explain. I spent 11 hours on my way to Port-au-Prince and 19 hours on my way back to Cap-Haitian. I can tell you my ordeal with the transportation was nothing to compare with what I saw. I was walking on dead people in the capital of Port-au-Prince. The capital smells horrible. People sleep everywhere. People had been dead for three days. Miraculously one of my cousins was alive as well as her new born. My cousin Fabrice had a c-section 20 minutes before the earthquake. The doctor died during the earthquake. We found the mother and the baby alive on Friday under the concrete roof. The baby spent three days by the side of the doctor who died along with other people. We took Fabrice and baby to our house now. Please pray for Fabrice as she has seizures now and calls out "Come save me!" because of the earthquake.

I am certain that you have already seen on TV how dump trucks took many dead people and dumped them 150 at a time in common graves in order to bury them. I had the misfortune of seeing this happen on my way to Port-au-Prince. I can't begin to tell you how these images stick in my mind. I plan to ask you for some immediate help for Justinian Hospital which has a lot of patients now. There is nowhere to put people. You have been there you know the place. Please let me know if I can reach out to them… 

Today, there is a phenomenon after the earthquake called migration – people who were in the capital and did not die are returning to their city of birth. The department of Cap-Haitian's government arranges 8 to 10 Buses each and every day to give rides to those who do not have money to escape the capital. Besides the earthquake, it is a family reunion and time of solidarity in the north. It is a sign of compassion and love to see that many people from everywhere to come reach out to our brothers and sisters. We see people from everywhere and the American soldiers. 

How is tomorrow? I cannot predict, but we can see there are not enough work for the people. As all the government buildings, schools, private and public businesses are down, it is tough. Only God knows what tomorrow will bring for Haiti. 

I do not want to repeat what other friends in Haiti call to tell you, but I just want you to know the need is great. We cannot count on the Haitian governments, national or city. They are suffering as well as the entire nation. My friends around the world, please help support Haiti. Please bring medicine, food, water, clothes, and all kind of help. As the local director of Haiti Cheri, I receive a lot phone calls on your behalf (Pastor Oris and Dan). If you would, please come down to Haiti and make a difference for the glory of God. I would like to say in advance thanks for your encouragement and thank you for each penny. Please help us, please help us...

Gethro

Update 01/18/10 9:30AM

From Gabrielle Vincent, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Sonje Ayiti. Haiti Cheri and Sonje Ayiti frequently collaborate. Visit their web site here: http://www.sonjeayiti.com

I can't explain how I came out alive of the PSI office in Petion-Ville when the earthquake struck. I was inside. I saw the building went up, down, front, back, and sideways, we (me and 4 guys) got up tried to open the door, it was locked, then God let us out. Luckily, the building wasn't collapsed, but I see buildings collapsed before my eyes, children, adults dying, wounded, crying out for help, the sky went into smoke (concrete cement block).

My heart aches for my people, my land, my family. It's so sad that so much of the death could have been prevented. Such strong people deserve better than what they've been given. I know it is a natural disaster, however the damages could be lower. This is the result of 2 centuries of mismanagement, corruption, and irresponsibility of our leaders. We lost a generation of university students, deans, intellectual elites, rich, poor, business people, and Government Officials. Everything is centralized in Port-au-Prince, so people have no other choice than to overpopulate the city of Port-au-Prince for driver's license, ID, passport, college, to name a few, the Government has no housing regulations or if there is they are only on paper. Anybody can satisfy their fantasy by building whatever fit their budget, move in with no inspection. 

I don't understand how things happen how some people end up with so much and other people with nothing except that it seems very often there are people involved who do not care how they affect other people. 

We must do something differently. Dare to act like never before so that we can rebuild this country. Those people have suffered so much for too long and I am not confident that the Government can change things around without the International community full involvement. No more bandages, we can't afford to do the same things that were done after Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, Fay, Gustav, Ike in 2008, and now this earthquake.

Gabrielle Vincent

Update 01/17/10 10:00PM

From Marcelin Pierre, Haiti Cheri board member in Cap-Haitien, as reported to Pastor Oris Guillaume.

Desperation in Cap-Haitian

There is massive loss at Redford Baptist Church in Cap-Haitian where Pastor Wesly is leading... A dozen kids from his church were killed last Tuesday in the midst of the classroom including his cousin, Jeanine Beaubrun. Most of the students from Redford Baptist are in Medical, Nursing, Science, Sociology, and Engineeing school in Port-au-Prince. It is not only a national catastrophic in Haiti, but it is a global disaster making a huge impact.

Marcelin Pierre

Update 01/17/10 9:00PM

From Pastor Codo Cimeus, friend and pastor of Salt and Light Baptist Church in Cap-Haitien.

Thank you for your payers and concern. We know Haiti Cheri has always a big heart for the Haitian people. In that deadly situation we don't know what to say. Life seems to be impossible. After the earthquake Port-au-Prince becomes a grave yard. Dead bodies on the street every where. Rich and poor , black and white become one. Here in Cap-Haitian, almost every family is weeping over the loss of at least for one or two relatives dead in Port-au-Prince. Cap-Haitian become a city of refuge. At the church we have survivors who are mostly students and church family members. They lost every thing. Some are very sick and hungry. They need help. Prices high. Fuel is very expensive and difficult to get. Salt and Light wants to help but, we need money to buy food and clothes to help them. So, pray for us. It is also a great time for soul harvest. They need hope. 

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Pastor Codo
Salt and Light Ministries

Update 01/16/10 8:00AM

From Pastor Oris Guillaume, Haiti Cheri's founder and CEO.

Please pray for our board and families in Haiti after the enormous quake hit Port-au-Prince Tuesday afternoon. Major effects seem to be concentrated around the capital city where two million people reside, and there are many reports of collapsed buildings, roads and turmoil as people try to locate loved ones. Pray for the people in Jacmel, Leogane, Gressier, Grand-Goave who also hit by the earthquake etc…

I called Gethro last night (our board director in Haiti). He reported that the losses are serious, his cousins killed in Port-au-Prince during the earthquake… We started a partnership in Acul-Samedi with Pastor Fontus Obas. Pastor Fontus lost 2 nieces. Haiti Cheri needs your prayer and your help to reach the Haitian people. My wife lost her step grandmother in Port-au-Prince as well. I lost many extended family members. Imagine you run an organization and you are in the US. My cell phone rings 24/7. People are asking me to come in Haiti to help… I also spoke to Pastor Ronald Mesidor, a pastor and friend in Port-au-prince. He said the situation is sad and inexplicable. People lost everything and sleep inside a shaking church… He also has a group of people in the community of Martissant who sleep outside the church in the street.
Pastor Oris

Update 01/15/10 8:00AM

From Dr. Rolph Richeme at the Justinien Hospital in Cap-Haitien.

My relatives (mom and dad ...) in Port-au-prince are just fine. They are sleeping outside of the house fear of earthquake. Rudolph, my brother, was in Cavaillon with his wife heading to Bonne-Fin, when the Quake happened. Their son, Rudlens, was left in Carrefour, he only has mild bruises on his face after all. They are now gathered together in Carrefour once again. They want to leave the place and go to Cap-Haitian. As for me and Sobie, our apartment in Port which is in Bourdon, not far from Hotel Montana, collapsed. Thanks God! Sobie's mom who was inside with her 5 year-old grand child ran out. All the building collapsed. They are just fine now. Some friends, Dr Caudio, who leaves in Carrefour is fine. Dr Mario's brother is still missing. He is a professor in a university which collapsed in Port and he was inside of the building. Dr Mario left Cap to Port this morning to find help.
In Christ,
Rolph

Update 01/14/10 8:30AM

From Dr. Rolph Richeme at the Justinien Hospital in Cap-Haitien. (Under normal circumstances it takes about 8 to 12 hours to drive from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien. It is only 150 miles but the roads are very bad.)

It was 8:00 PM today, started to arrived the first patients victim from the earthquake. Till midnight they were still coming. They are only 10 patients (included 3 children) to come yet. They all come from Port-au-Prince. They went all the way from Port to Cap-Haitian looking for medical care. All hospitals from Port till Cap-Haitian would not have taken care of them cause they were full over with patients. They arrived with dust over their body, some with broken bone, some with bruises and large wounds. We had to go to the OR with one of them with open fracture of left hand. They were all explaining for each of them how awfull was their experience, and what they saw in Port. Some of them said that they can still feel the earthquake...

We know that more victims from Port will continue to come. Any special preparation (we can not do it anyway, need is so huge) has been made to receive them. What is for sure is that we will need help of all kind to keep up with this situation. 
Rolph

Update 01/13/10 7:15PM

From Pastor Codo Cimeus, a friend and pastor in Cap-Haitien.

We are fine by the grace of God. Our house was shaken strongly. The church building was shaking likewise. People were scared to death. There's no phone communication now. It has been raining for more than three weeks here. The situation becomes worst and worst. Life seems impossible. Keep praying for us.
In Christ,
Pastor Codo

Update 01/13/10 6:00PM

From Gethro Clebert, our Program Director in Cap-Haitien.

Minute after minute info is coming in, we know now more than 85 UN members died, 2 senators, maybe you already see Port-au-Prince is almost down, Limbe, Pastor Oris native country, 20 Km from Cap-H has 2 houses felt down, imagine that every other town depends on Port-au-Prince, that's mean the rest of the country will pay the consequences. I cannot tell you exactly how to help us, because any help is really important. How about we buy some medicine like we did the other time in Cap-Haitian and use them to make a mobile clinic?
Gethro

Update 01/13/10 4:10PM

Here is another email from Gethro Clebert, our Program Director in Cap-Haitien.

Sorry, as I write my son try to reach some family over the phone, tomorrow my dad and I plan to go to P-au-Prince if the phone still down, but in Cap-Haitian since Christmas is raining everyday moreover for about a week now rain never stop, so there is big possibility of flood or hearth slip down (tè glise, kay krase) or other catastrophe, now more then ever we need your prayer. We still don’t know how many injuries or death, people yell and cry all over the street, this a bad situation I cannot describe, I didn’t sleep last night, I was watching CNN, now my son tell me my uncle’s house collapse there is no death but injuries. I let you know the evolution….
Gethro

Update 01/13/10 3:30PM

Here is a brief email from Gethro Clebert, our Program Director in Cap-Haitien.

By the grace of Lord in Cap-H we doing good but I call for your prayer cause I still have some family and friend that I don't hear from them by the time I writing you, imagine the catastrophe in Haiti actually, no communication, no electricity, no hospital, no road, and a lot of bad no, most of the houses in center Port-Au-Prince collapse.
Gethro

Update 01/13/10 2:00PM

Here is a short email update from our friend Dr. Rolph Richeme at the Justinien Hospital in Cap-Haitien. It is the first direct communication we've received from Cap-Haitien.

The earthquake was felt for about 10 to 15 seconds in Cap-Haitian at 4:10 Pm then 5 seconds one hour later then 2 seconds three episodes later. There has not much destruction. We are just fine. We still do not have any news from our relatives in Port cause we do not have any communication. If ever someone can give any news let us know.
Rolph