12 Prayers, 12 Weeks

Hope in Haiti after Hurricane?

This before & after image shows the destructive force of hurricane Matthew. Where a church once stood, there is now only rubble.

We wanted to share with you what has been happening in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew. Our colleague, Anders Orsander from Sweden reported:

"On October 3 and 4 2016, Hurricane Matthew, a Category Four hurricane, struck Haiti. The country, which still has not recovered from an earthquake that devastated the nation 2010, is the poorest in the Western hemisphere. More than 1,000,000 Haitians were directly affected by the storm, including 55,000 Haitians who were previously living in tents and had to find shelter during the hurricane."

Many have been left reeling, in shock and mourning, desperate for comfort and hope for the future. The Haitian Bible Society, together with local churches and partners (Compassion International and the Protestant Federation of Haiti) will lead efforts to provide 200,000 copies of the Scripture Portion "God is our Shelter and Strength" in Creole and French and 2,000 copies of New Testament to local churches. The Scripture Portion provides selections from God's Word that speak to people who have experienced tragedy and loss.

It is our prayer that survivors will feel God draw so close to them in this time of destruction and loss. That they will know Him walking with them in these days.

Other than this information, we have little news coming through from our colleagues at this time. We know that no Bible Society staff or families have lost their lives and for this we are thankful, but there is little other news reaching us.

There are as many as 175,000 people in temporary shelters having been evacuated. Many of these shelters have no electricity or access to enough clean water. People are living in dreadful conditions and there is great fear that this could lead to a cholera epidemic like that of 2010.

Pray for God's Hand in Haiti

Words fail us in times like these but we cry out to God knowing that he hears our hearts and that the Holy Spirit takes over when our words are simply inadequate.

Pray for the efforts to bring aid and help; for rebuilding what has been destroyed and comfort to those who mourn.

Pray that each person who receives a Bible or Scripture Portion would be filled with love, comfort and encouragement that comes from God.

May God strengthen all who seek to bring relief and speak hope. Pray for the safety, wisdom and protection of the Haitian Bible Society in particular; for their partners and local churches as they distribute God's Word and whatever practical help they can offer.

Week 4: 25 October 2016

Fighters for the King!

Some members of staff of the Haitian Bible Society. November 2010.jpg

Some staff of the Haitian Bible Society. Magda Victor is in the centre, wearing white.

The team in Haiti have been battered many times - they worked through the hurricane and cholera epidemic of 2010, seeing God opening so many doors to lead people to him. They endured a time of violence and unrest around elections last year, not to mention that they were robbed over the Christmas break in 2014, losing computers, cash register, projector and so much more. At that time General Secretary Magda Victor declared, "We remain firm in spite of everything. We are fighters and our work is for our King!" Pray that this will continue to be their 'battle cry'! Pray that they will stand firm and see His mighty hand sustaining them.

Staff and volunteers are focusing all their efforts in bringing the Word and comfort of God to all those who need it.

An emergency appeal has been launched through the United Bible Societies for Haiti. This will be for Scripture based support. We know the team will be doing all they can to help bring hope and relief to the people around them.

Hurricane Matthew hits Haiti while it is still reeling from previous disasters. Many thousands are still living in temporary shelters since the hurricane of 2010 which destroyed thousands of homes, took over 150,000 lives and left many, in an already poor nation, in crippling poverty.

Bible Society NI, 27 Howard Street, Belfast, BT1 6NB

TEL: 028 9032 6577 - www.bsni.co.uk

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