Living Water Christian Mission

They describe 22 hours under the rubble

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings to you in His name!

Last week was a long week. It was very tiring to my mind and my body. During the weekend I had a feeling of helplessness for several reasons. I could not help some people who wanted to contact their loved ones in spite of my efforts. Plans to help people in Port-au-Prince were crippled because the banks were not open and are still not open. 

Andretine a survivor tells her unbelievable story

It was very challenging to find the right words to comfort people on Sunday. I quit working on my sermon when I sensed that it would not be adequate for this morning. I even called a friend asking him for special prayers for this morning because I knew it would not be an easy task. The Lord has answered the prayers of those who prayed for me.

We had a spirit-filled worship service with a larger crowd than last Sunday.  Then we had 573, but today we had 628. 

Everybody came to express their gratitude one way or another; for one thing or another. Some who would otherwise never speak in public pleaded to express their gratitude to God in front of the congregation because they were alive. Everybody who spoke before their fellow brothers and sisters started their story with the way the day started and how it ended.

The first family explained how they spent 22 hours under the rubble in a little space that only God’s hand could have made for them. It was rather comforting to know that God has a 21st century way of providing bread and water for his people just he did for Elijah of old. The people who were trapped had a small 711-type store in which they sell crackers and water among other things.  When the building collapsed the little bags of water and packs of crackers fell on them.  The water kept them from being dehydrated and the crackers helped the little ones. God is good. The rescue effort was also a chilling thing. They conclude that there is no one like their God.

Father of two, but lost one in spite of his efforts

Then we heard from a mother who could have lost all of her children but God spared all of them. In fact, one of them is the young lady in the second picture.  She can’t understand the wonders of God in her life. She had just left her office and was waiting for the bus to take her home when the earthquake hit. Two buses that refused to stop for her ended up under a mountain of debris.  The shifting ground made her grab something and hold on tight.  The drivers of the cars lost control and the cars ran in all directions, except for where she was standing. When it was all over the north end of the road did not exist and the south end is no more.  But her little spot where she was standing was kept safe. She said that if anyone would tell her that one day she would stand in front of a crowd to testify about anything in Church she would think that you were joking.  But she said she could not keep this to herself. I have to praise the Lord.

They came to see pictures of the earthquake

Then brother Serge came to explain where he was when the earthquake happened. He was not even in Port-au-prince but his two sons were. When he learned that a tall building fell on his home he knew he had little chance to find his boys. Tuesday night was a sleepless night.

He left Gonaives very early and arrived in a city filled with rubble, dust, and dead bodies.  There was no transportation beside his legs. He walked up the Delmas Blvd, then he hiked the mountains of Nazon.  His legs failed him at one point. He had no food or drink.  Everything looked bad and there was no good news. Desolation was on every side. He resumed his walk and finally made it home. 

Then he started the battle to rescue his youngest boy from under a big concrete slab that had already smashed the little boy’s hands. His only tools were a hammer and pike.  After several hours of struggling he finally reached his son and found a dead body under him.  He had been trapped like that for many long hours. Once the boy was out he started vomiting.  Before he could take him anywhere for care he died. It was tough on him and on us, but especially on him. This was the boy that carried his name. This was the boy that he had cared for as a single dad since the boy was only a few months old. This was his boy. It was tough. We showered love on him. We prayed for him and several visited him in his home.

There were about 8 people who shared their experience in the two services. We were all grateful to hear the wonders of God in the lives of many. They were felt compelled to share what Christ had done for them. Their gratitude arose because although a hundred thousand died, yet they are alive.

I then challenged the Church to continue to help the survivors. We originally planned to head to Port-au-Prince Tuesday to bring help that is much needed.  But because the banks are not open we hope to do it later this week.

But in the meantime we want to serve the victims that were transfered to our three health centers here. I visited all three of them today to see the situation. Most of the victims are not from Gonaives. They are from Port-au-Prince, petit-Goave, Gros-morne, Saint-Marc and other places. I gave them a little money to help them so they  can survive. We will return Tuesday with food, water, toiletry and the like. The money we have on hand is not enough to get us to Port-au-Prince, but it can surely help us to provide for those victims who are being taken care of here.

Tonight we had a special service.  After a moment of praise and prayer we showed pictures of the situation in Port-au-Prince. This way the people will be challenged to serve and be thankful to be alive. We had a very full sanctuary.

Thanks to all of you who pray. Thanks to all of you who give. You are making it possible for all of us to be sons/daughters of our heavenly father. I cannot wait for my right hand man, Micah, to return to Haiti. This will lift a few burdens from me.  I will have one more head and two more arms to deal with the situation.

I love you all.

In Christ,

Salonique Adolphe

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” … “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple, his hands will also complete it.” (Zech 4:6, 9)

website : www.livingwaterchristianmission.org

Phone : 001 – 509 – 3767 – 5951