Haiti:Remembering the 2010 Earthquake

This morning at our staff devotions, we reflected on the fact that 15 years ago yesterday, an infamous and devastating earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In many ways, Haiti is still recovering from this earthquake – economically, physically, and emotionally, although much of the healing that has happened, has now been undone by the current political unrest and gang infiltration that is taking place there today. What a sad and devastating legacy this largely pagan country has endured over the last number of years. We continue to pray that the light of the Gospel will shine forth through the terrible things that have and are happening and that many precious souls would be confronted with the peace that only the Gospel message can bring.

Below is an article written by former Word & Deed employee, John Kottelenberg, that was published in the Fall 2019 edition of the Word & Deed magazine.

It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Excitement was in the air as we were all standing outside of Adoration Christian School watching two basketball teams battle it out to become the season’s champions. Suddenly, everything came to a halt. We heard something that sounded like an airplane about to crash on top of us. The noise then changed to that of a train barreling down a set of tracks. The ground started rumbling beneath our feet, and it was then that we realized what was happening. At 4:43 p.m. on January 12, 2010, we were faced with the horrific reality that we were experiencing the ravages of an earthquake.

We all ran to the corner of the walled-in yard. Children in the yard were screaming and scattering everywhere. We watched the school building in front of us sway and then collapse on itself. The building started to lean forward and to one side as it came down, but instead of falling toward us, it leaned against the house next door. The wall behind us did not fall on us and no one was in the school at the time of the earthquake. Praise God. We stood in a circle to pray, giving thanks for protection, pleading for wisdom on what to do next, and asking the Lord to be near the people of Haiti.

We learned later that the initial noise that we heard came from downtown Port-au-Prince where buildings were collapsing. The train-type noise that we heard were buildings that were being pushed up and down as tremors from the earthquake rippled through the city. More than 230,000 people were killed that afternoon. Adoration lost a teacher and a university student who were in class at a downtown university. They also lost a student whose family died when their house collapsed on top of them.

Within weeks of the earthquake, Word & Deed raised over one million dollars to go toward relief efforts. Due to the generosity of many, families of the Adoration community were provided with food and water. Over the span of a few years, more than 200 homes were repaired, 50 new homes were built, and Adoration Christian School was relocated. The Adoration community was, and still is, appreciative of Word & Deed’s help in the aftermath of this catastrophe.

As I recount the events of that day, I can’t help but see God’s hand in the midst of this tragedy. Through providing the Adoration community with physical relief, the team was also able to share and to show the love of the Gospel in ways that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to do. The faith of many was strengthened, and the Lord’s presence was shown in his preservation of the Adoration community and the respect that they gained from the surrounding neighborhoods. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Ps. 46:1-2).