click here to see a LIST OF IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR HAITI

Haiti Missions Team in Grand Goave, Haiti
January 18, 2010

We are thrilled to let you know that our team from Sturbridge Worship Center arrived home safely from Grand Goave, Haiti on Monday, January 18th. After making their way to the Port-au-Prince airport early Monday morning, they were able to arrange flights for one American to fly on a military transport and the remaining team members to fly through the Dominican Republic into the United States. We greatly appreciate your prayers for the team during their time in Haiti.

Stuart Rankin, Missions Co-ordinator at Sturbridge Worship Center,
made this video while in Haiti after the earthquake.

The time is short and the need is great. Haiti is trembling under the impact of the recent earthquake and multiple aftershocks that have rocked this island nation.

Sturbridge Worship Center is committed to this tiny Island through seven years of ministry, relationship building, medical clinics, food distribution, church planting, establishing schools and more in partnership with Mission of Hope in Grand Goave, Haiti and their network of sister churches throughout southern Haiti.

At this time we have a team still in Haiti helping in the midst of this dark time but as I mentioned before the need is great! On December 29, 2009, we sent a team of 8 people from Sturbridge Worship Center to work with Mission of Hope, located in Grand Goave Haiti. Currently there are 5 people who remain in Haiti: Maike Kraft, Timo Kraft, Christopher With, Stuart Rankin & William Coley. The other 3 team members returned home before the earthquake occurred on Tuesday. We have been in daily contact with the team through Skype. Pastor Dan Lee states, "Conditions continue to be deteriorating with little sleep, food and water depleting quickly. No relief help has been seen in the city yet. Grand Goave, Haiti suffered serious damage, injuries and death with the aftershocks continuing through Thursday from the earthquake that exploded throughout Haiti on Tuesday. We are working to get the team back to the United States as quickly as possible."

Pastor Dan Lee says, "Here at Sturbridge Worship Center we are planning not only for immediate response but for the long term goal of helping in any way we can to bring hope and restoration within our sphere of influence." As a result we need your help.

It is our hope to send teams periodically over the next 3-5 months as the Lord permits to help in this hour of need. Starting sometime within the next one to three weeks we hope to send our first team with a goal of teams heading out for either one or two week commitments as long as the laborers are available and the resources endure.

CAN YOU GO? We need workers. Mature believers with medical skills, construction knowledge or other engineering and communications skills are of greatest value at this time though those with a strong back and a willingness to help will still be valuable. The conditions will be rough and the food limited but the need is pressing. If you have interest in being part of a team please contact us directly. There will be a mandatory application process and orientation for anyone added to the relief teams.

CAN YOU GIVE? We need money! Of greatest importance is the raising of financial support and supplies. Right now in the region we are working at least one of the orphanages has been destroyed, as well as the schools, much housing, the catholic church and so much more. Many are dead and others will die. However, the quicker we can mobilize resources the more impact we will have. There is a team of doctors leaving Tuesday from the North Shore of Boston area as well. We at Sturbridge Worship Center will be taking a special emergency relief offering and encouraged other churches to do the same. If you desire to help with your gift you may do so through the link provided on our church web site. We have also begun to receive commitments of emergency and long term care medical supplies and will be in need of additional funds to see that these are allocated to the priority situations.

CAN YOU PRAY? We need an ongoing cry of prayer to be lifted up before the Lord in response to this pressing situation. Please continue to pray for the communities that have been affected by this earthquake, the teams that are reaching out to them and for the continual flow of laborers and resources that will be needed to provide ongoing assistance.

Pastor Dan Lee