The Situation

The Red Cross estimates that 50,000 people are dead.

CBC estimates up to 100,000 are dead.

The Globe and Mail estimates that up to 500,000 people may be dead. You can listen to a call from a co-worker of my mother-in-law, as well as a time line of the events, here.

More stunning photos here: The Big Picture

Remember Audio Adrenaline?

Well the lead singer and his parents have a mission there. I emailed them and everyone is alright. Check out their site to hear what’s up: HandsAndFeetProject.org Also, Donald Miller put up an email from Mark that’s been circulating… email from Mark.

You can watch all the breaking news (faster than TV) on Google Live Feed

Of course, Pat Robertson had this to say… (and it has caused an absolute $#itstorm in the media)

Closer to Home

Canadians
There are more than 6,000 Canadians residing in Haiti. Confirmed dead include Ontario nurse Yvonne Martin (more below) and Montreal couple Georges and Mireille Anglade.

The Rodin Family

The Rodins have a mission in Haiti, that right now is isolated and are in desperate need to get medical supplies in… Lets look at the logistics of going to the places that the Red Cross and the rest will not go… Port Au Prince will have the influx of aid, but the out laying areas will not get the support.

Lincoln Road Chapel
I also found out from my dad that Terry, the drummer from his church, lost his mom. She was there on a medical mission.

Jimmy Forde
Jimmy has a heart for Haiti, and some good friends experienced HUGE losses this when they got hit. He forwarded this message to me on Wednesday…  “Our Good friend Pastor Osnel St. Cyr’s house collapsed, they are sure that his wife Aliza and baby James and Joesmith are probably dead and they are buried in the rubble and there are no sounds left from them Jude their little girl crawled out of the rubble and she has survived….Pastor Osnel is okay because he was not in the house when the earthquake hit.”

Side note:

The is Jimmy. The boy he is holding was killed in the earthquake.

Jimmy is our Guide for this Monday night at Journey. His message is now entitled, “Do You Have the Balls to Take Action?” God has given him a fiery dream and passion, and the events of this week and the love he has for people have spurred it on.  Monday will be a night that you DO NOT want to miss.

We’ll be meeting at the Church on the Rock building at 2149 Upper James in Hamilton. The Welcome Feast (40 racks of ribs!) begins at 7:15pm.  If you’re a dude, we’d LOVE to have you join us for prayer and growth and worship.  Bring a carload- directions are right here.

Why I’m Pissed Off And Ready to Storm Hell / What They’re Not Saying on the News

UN food warehouses in Haiti reportedly looted.

Jimmy just got word that the UN is tempted to close the borders… the “not talked about situation” is this:  4000 people escaped from the main prison- at leat 1500 were there for kidnapping related crimes.

Right now there have been (unreported to not stop the aid workers from coming) some pretty high up people kidnapped. In fact they are just reporting them as “unaccounted for” which is prompting the UN and other world agencies to stop the flow of “un-affiliated” workers.

The Dominica Republic to Haiti roads are feared to be a gauntlet of kidnappers and fortune hunters looking to get out by making money off selling white people back to their families or the highest bidder!

“Our pastors have told me to stay away for a bit, that they have had people kidnapped out of their ungated yards and within minutes recieving ransom notes, knowing the pastors are going to recieve money and aid from us”

WHY IS THIS WORLD SO F#$%ed up??????  How can people do this to each other?

What You Can Do

Skilled labour first- if you’re a doctor, nurse, or engineer and want to go help, get in contact with an official organization that’s sending in people.

We asked a contact on the ground if we should come help: “the concern and care for the sick and dieing right now is great… but the greatest need will be in a month, when the world forgets, and moves on to the next great disaster, and the Haitians are stuck to rebuild on their own…“  So pray and consider going in a month or two when the world pulls out.

Ragamuffin Carlos tells us that a Compassion gift of…

$35 helps provide a relief pack filled with enough food and water to sustain a family for one week.
$70 gift helps care for their needs for two weeks.
$105 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain two families for two weeks.
$210 gift helps care for two families’ needs.
$525 provides relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain 10 families for two weeks.
$1,050 gift cares for 10 families’ needs.
$1,500 helps rebuild a home.
$2,100 supplies 20 families with the basics for three weeks.

You can do that here.

Here is a list of 21 organizations that need your help RIGHT NOW.

The Canadian Government, on our behalf, will match all gifts by Canadians up to $50 million. So give to a Canadian charity and the government will match it with more of your own money!  Details/FAQs on how the matching donation plan will work are spelled out here.

Watch the video on all the Canada is doing ($50 mil, 2 ships, 4 planes, etc.) here.

Please share this post on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog. The link is http://bit.ly/HaitianQuake

And pray.