The country of Haiti experienced a horrific event on January 12, 2010 when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit just 16 miles from Port-au-Prince. The earthquake lasted about 30 seconds and a number of aftershocks followed. It is estimated that over 220,000 people died that day with 300,000 more injured. Another 1.5 million people were displaced. This was a tragic day and, twelve years later, we remember all of our friends who were impacted.
My wife had just returned from her first trip to Terre Blanche in March 2009. She had such an amazing experience that she insisted I go on a future team. We began to be more invested in Haiti and more involved with Haiti Foundation of Hope. In the afternoon of January 12, we heard news of the earthquake. Like many, we were glued to the news for information. Our hearts broke as we waited to hear from those we cared deeply about in Haiti. We felt helpless — but we could pray.
Two years after the earthquake, I was finally able to join my first HFH team. Pastor Delamy picked up our team from the hectic airport in Port-au-Prince and we began our travel north. We made an intentional stop in Titanyen to visit the location of a mass gravesite. This was one of the most sobering experiences of my life. As I walked around the grounds and prayed over this country, I grabbed a rock to never forget this experience. To this day, this rock, along with a Haitian statue, sits on my bookshelf and reminds me to never forget the difficult challenges our Haitian friends experience every day.
As I write this article, remembering my feelings on January 12, 2010, and later as I walked through the mass gravesite, I feel just as helpless as we continue to hear news coming from Haiti. More than anything else, our brothers and sisters need our prayers.
May we always remember and never grow weary in praying for Haiti.
by Jordan Young, HFH board member