Tuesday, January 26, 2010

FFTP in Haiti - solar powered water purification and much more


Today's Update from Food For The Poor - Tuesday 26 January 2010:

* Food For The Poor donated a solar-powered water purification machine that is processing thousands of gallons of water a day at the International Red Cross compound in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

*We have begun to distribute rice and beans in Cite Soleil through a women's organization.

* Two trucks of rice, beans, water, tents, clothing and shoes are being sent today to three beneficiaries in Jacmel.

* We are giving rice and beans to community leaders in six tent cities of Petionville, with about 6,000 displaced residents in each. The food is cooked from noon to 3 p.m., and distributed from 3 to 5 p.m.

* Food For The Poor installed an 8,000-gallon water tanks in the largest tent city in Port-au-Prince, the one at Delmas 40B. Today (1/26) they will receive 30,000 gallons of water. The camp is a shelter now for at least 50,000 people.

* 20,000 hot meals at Port-au-Prince Feeding Center daily. (Rue Barbancourt, Route de l'Aeroport)

* Two trucks of rice, beans, water, tents, clothing and shoes are being sent today to three beneficiaries in Jacmel.

* Food For The Poor has begun to distribute rice and beans in Cite Soleil through a women's organization.

* We are giving rice and beans to community leaders in six tent cities of Petionville, with about 6,000 displaced residents in each. The food is cooked from noon to 3 p.m., and distributed from 3 to 5 p.m.

* We also are distributing Crocs to those same tent cities. (Many people did not have their shoes with them after the quake and the glass and rubble on the streets are very dangerous.)

*We are supplying oxygen to 14 hospitals and clinics. Hospitals/clinics receiving oxygen are:

* Saint Francois Salle

* Asile Francais, Rue de Centre

* Bernard Mevs

* Communaute Haitienne, Rue Audant, Route de Freres

* Le Mesi

* MediMax

* Saint Espirit

* Maternite de Petion-Ville, 1 Rue Goulard

* They called Food For The Poor at noon 1/23 with a desperate situation: because of the destruction of the other hospitals they have an overflow of maternity patients that they cannot turn away. They are filled to capacity and have no food to feed their patients. They asked us for tents and food this morning and we are here at the hospital gate already (4:30 p.m.) about to deliver five large tents, 45 bags (110 pounds each) of rice, 10 bags of beans and jelly-filled toaster pastries. They were also given water, shoes and medical supplies - including IV kits.

* CDO

* Canape-Vert, Route du Canape-Vert

* Foyer Saint Camille

* In addition, Food For The Poor distributed medicine from Americares to various hospitals, finishing the day at Delmas 40B, the makeshift clinic at the tent city.

* In Cap-Haitien, we are distributing food, personal hygiene kits and Crocs to people fleeing Port-au-Prince. We are able to serve hot meals. We are seeing about 2,000 people arrive each day from Port-au-Prince.

* Food For The Poor is supplying its elderly home, girls' and boys' Angel of Hope homes, and the Little Children of Jesus Handicapped Home with hot meals each day. We are serving about 700 people a day in these homes.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

BBC E-mail: Haiti quake: Survivors' stories

jean saw this story on the BBC News website and thought you
should see it.

** Haiti quake: Survivors' stories **
Stories of survival from the few who managed to escape after being trapped in the rubble after Haiti's catastrophic earthquake.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8459090.stm >


** BBC Daily E-mail **
Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all
in one daily e-mail
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/email >

LUKE 13 - from Paul Pottinger

Paul Pottinger sent this wise message:



Christ's words below came as a reminder to me as I pondered the tragedy in Haiti and wondered why. 



Luke 13

A Call to Repentance

 1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 "Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?" Jesus asked. "Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too."

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Letter from Liony in Haiti

Letter from Food For The Poor Country Manager, Liony Batista

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday 01/19/10

Beloved,

There are so many stories of lives lost and so many wounded hearts in Haiti that it is beyond words. When asked by a reporter to describe its events I could only say: "I don't believe a word has been invented for what is happening in Haiti. It is total disaster.” But through it all, the people of Haiti have been remarkably resilient despite insurmountable odds. Don't be too concerned with reports on some looting or a little chaos. The people of Haiti have shown tremendous civility while having to face thousands of people lying in their streets or trapped under the rubble of cement. It is beyond comprehension, I feel, that they have fared so well under such dire circumstances.

The Food For The Poor/Haiti office has shown incredible stamina while facing their own tragedies, as no one has been left untouched by this disaster. And still they are out there in the trenches. Because this is a war of a different nature and it has to be fought and won. Yesterday at the hotel, people from Haiti he is familiar with came each with their particular story: parents deceased, children lost, husbands or wives missing; there have probably been enough tears shed in Haiti to flood the greatest of rivers...a few times over. So do not lose your determination to convey to those you know and who have supported FFP that this is an unprecedented event that defies comparison, but that through it all God’s gracious mercy shines greatest when all hope seems lost. God wants to rebuild Haiti. God wants to show Himself great with those who suffering surely must have reached the corridors of heaven a thousand times over. And God is relying on the goodness of the human spirit and the generosity of those who would stand firm in spite of their own predicaments to stretch out their hand and their hearts to help those who now need it most.

Pray for the Haiti office. Pray for those voiceless children left fatherless. Pray for the security and peace of this small but defiant country we all know as Haiti. And pray for those of us here who are trying to get things done and brought into this country; those of who are putting our very small grain of salt in an incredibly vast sea of pain and suffering in the country of Haiti.

Miss you all...



Liony

From Father Duken in Haiti

Note from Fr. Duken, a priest who works with Food for the Poor in Haiti

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday 01/19/10

Cap-Haitien has not been affected physically. However, we are overflowing. Every single day, we continue to receive thousands of people getting away from Port-au-Prince. We got 2,000 only yesterday. They are students, adults and children. They have lost everything. They are starving, they are shocked, wounded both physically and emotionally. They are concerned. Some of them have families in Cap, some don’t. They just want to escape death.

Our job now is to first accommodate them, make sure they get some food, water, clothes, transportation, and medical care. Second, we must try to walk with them through a healing or rehabilitation process.

We were not ready for something like that but we do what we can.

Fuel is a big deal because everything had to come from Port-au-Prince. Communications as well. We don’t know how long this situation will last but this makes the job even more difficult.

Again thanks for all. We will survive.
Blessings. Duken

Monday, January 18, 2010

11 am Monday - Haiti Update from FFTP

MON 18 JAN 2010 - Update on Haiti operations from Food for the Poor 
11 AM
http://www.lynn.edu/alert
Update on the Lynn University Students.  For the most recent and up to date information please look at this link and website. 
Crews are still working at the Hotel Montana to locate everyone. They saved the coowner of the Hotel Montana Sat night, Nadine Cardozo, she was pulled out of the rubble and is fine.
 
FFP has arranged aircraft shipments into PAP coming from Jamaica consisting of bottled water and from FL medical supplies, water and food.  Fed Ex and Spirit Airlines is helping with this process and the shipments arrived last night into PAP and is now in our warehouse in PAP. We thank Fed Ex and Spirit airlines for assisting us with these shipments.

FFP Fl is also sending container shipments into Cap Haitien, the North part of Haiti. We will be inundating the North with supplies of Food, Water and Medicine to handle all of the people that will be inundating the area.

The Jamaica Defense Force is housed at our office complex in PAP of approximately 150 defense force.  They will use our trucks and facility to offer us massive security.  We offer many thanks to Jamaica. The Jamaican civil engineer team are helping to assess all of our programs and assist with fixing structural engineer of buildings.

Liony and Team from the DR are acquiring all wood, cement and building materials to truck over from the DR to our office in PAP with a team to help with the construction of securing our building. "Operation Revive Haiti" is the name of this mission.  They will also bring over fuel, medicine and water from the DR.

Leann Chong our Dir of Missions/Travel has flown back to FL and is in Melbourne FL receiving treatment at a hospital. Leann will be on NPR radio tonight.  Here is the link to the promo. It can be heard in South Florida at 8 p.m. on WLRN 91.3 out of Miami. http://thestory.org
HCA Hospitals across the country are coordinating medical supply donations to FFP.

We have been told that Leogane city is 80% destroyed and that Jacmel and Miragon are in a terrible condition.

All secondary roads near PAP Haiti are blocked from rubble.

When I speak to our people on the ground they state that the situation in Haiti is 100 times worse than what you are seeing on TV.

We are using twice the amount of fuel for our generators due to no electricity at this time.  Our water cisterns that we operate are full and we have approximately 40,000 gallons available at our warehouse.

A group of Lebanese businessmen sent on a Middle Eastern Airline a plane load of 1000 tents and 3 Tons of Milk Powder and 3 Tons of IV Solutions to FFP to distribute.

Our Creative Team is still in Haiti and some others from our office in FL who are trying to help with the situation. Mr Daniel Rouzier, our Chairman of the Board for FFP-Haiti along with other board members are involved with the operations and trying to help assist Mrs Kareen Dolce our Executive Director of FFP-Haiti.  They are all doing a tremendous job.

Our offices are working around the clock to coordinate everything and I would like to thank everyone for their hard work.  They have issued a 6 pm curfew for PAP Haiti.

Our Feeding center at our offices in PAP Haiti is operating today and we will be feeding over 20,000 people a hot meal today for lunchtime.
Items that we need the most are Orthopedic items and we are working on this to be shipped ASAP.

I ask you to continue to Pray for Haiti and for all of our workers on the ground in Haiti.
Thank you,
Robin

Robin G Mahfood
President/CEO
Kim M. Williams, Executive Assistant to the President/CEO
Food For The Poor, Inc.
6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 USA
Direct Tel: 954-596-4029, Main Tel: 954-427-2222  ext 4029
Main Fax: 954-570-7654
E-mail: kim@foodforthepoor.com







Now we finally see Haiti



Click on title for full column


by Jean Lowrie-Chin | Observer column | Monday, January 18, 2010


It was a painful way to get a perspective. Suddenly Jamaicans - possibly the biggest complainers on Planet Earth - were giving thanks that we were spared the 7.0 quake that shook Haiti. By the time Prime Minister Golding faced the microphone on Wednesday evening, his announcement of his Debt Exchange Programme, the imminent downsizing of the public sector and increase in property taxes created barely a ripple.

... Jamaica continues to be its brother's keeper. It was Jamaica who had given temporary asylum to former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 after his hurried departure from Haiti, and it was our then Prime Minister PJ Patterson, who, on behalf of Caricom, spoke up for fellow member Haiti.

This week's media coverage showed us the bravery and nobility of the Haitian people. CNN's Anderson Cooper took us through the rescue of a 15-year-old girl who was able to speak strongly after her ordeal, declaring, "I was never afraid." She is of course the descendant of Haiti's great soldiers, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture who defeated Napoleon in 1804, creating the world's first black republic.

On a visit to Haiti in 2006, I described "the touching gentility among even the poorest that I met lining up, waiting without a murmur for up to five hours to finally own a cellphone. And there was the art - fine carving, enchanting pottery, vivid paintings...Their craftsmen could teach ours a thing or two - not one vulgar carving did we see on the sidewalks".

I also described the fashionable side of Haiti, a hillside location where tables were covered with crisp white linen and adorned with deep red roses in crystal. The service there and in other restaurants was impeccable and the ladies were chic and svelte.

The Haitians show incredible forbearance and resourcefulness. I met a well-educated young businessman, the third generation of his family-owned concern, who continued to soldier on. Yes, there is a side of Haiti that never gets press coverage and so we only view the country as one of misery, although it offers so many opportunities.

We hear that an intellectually limited evangelist has been shooting off his mouth about Haiti's earthquake being a punishment for voodoo worship. We in Jamaica had better be careful how we judge others. At least Haiti lost their people to a natural disaster. We have lost 1680 precious souls to violence, so we should be the last ones to talk about retribution.

...Angel Aloma, Food for the Poor executive director wrote from Haiti last week, "The devastation in Haiti challenges the senses... We have a tough road ahead and I am exhausted, but I take comfort in a passage from 2 Corinthians 4:8, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit." Although we are accepting only three items of canned food (canned meat and fish, canned milk), cash is our greatest necessity. We are planning an initial response to this horror of 400 40ft containers of food, water and emergency supplies, followed by lumber and zinc for construction and repair. We have a tough road ahead of us, thank you for travelling it with me."

After three days of being glued to the television and going to work in a twilight zone of grief, I think I am approaching some level of discernment. Perhaps it took this terrible quake to focus the world on a country that has been bleeding unnoticed for too long. Perhaps now the international community will finally carve out a plan to help the beautiful people of Haiti build a strong democracy, finally realising the dream of its legendary liberator.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

JDF based at Haiti Food for the Poor

Food For The Poor Provides critical support to Jamaica's efforts in Relief Aid to Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

Sunday, January 17, 2010: Following the occurrence of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12 which caused widespread death and destruction, Food for the Poor Jamaica (FFP) is integrally involved in the national effort to provide assistance to our brothers and sisters in Haiti and is already offering logistical and technical support to assist in the relief efforts.

One significant area of assistance is that yesterday Food for the Poor Inc offered its compound in Haiti to be used as the operations base for the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). They have already moved into the location. That compound has an FFP organisation-wide internet telephone plus all office, warehousing, and distribution facilities, and all is now at the disposal of the Jamaica Defence Force.

"FFP Jamaica has already sent medical supplies with the Salvation Army and the Ministry of Health who both had flights which left Jamaica last week Thursday and Friday, plus eight generators were sent with the very first JDF vessel that went into Haiti last week" explained CEO of Food For The Poor Jamaica, Mr. Ryan Peralto.

Thousands of homes were completely destroyed as a result of the earthquake so much of FFP's assistance will be directed toward rebuilding homes for those who were affected. To this end, FFP Jamaica has opened a special bank account with National Commercial bank (NCB) where persons can make direct financial donations. The account number is 47-104-3885. It should be noted that FFP's operating costs account for less than 4% of the value of the donations it receives.

"While we are encouraged by the response of the public so far, we continue to seek donations of cash to further our efforts in providing relief to the Haitians" continued Mr. Peralto. "We need cash in particular to assist in purchasing materials for temporary shelters, plus the next stage, that of rebuilding homes in the badly ravaged capital city and implore all persons to make a contribution to our account at NCB, no matter the size of the donation."

FFP has also advised that donations of goods (canned food, clothing) are being collated by NCB, BNS, the FFP's Western Committee, Stella Maris, and Azans (Regal Plaza) . These partners are sorting, packaging, and labeling and FFP will facilitate the shipping arrangements.

"Through our Florida office, we have already sent 100 containers of rice, canned food and medical supplies to Haiti -- most of which is already in place in Port-au-Prince and being distributed" Mr. Peralto continued.
In an effort to get as many aid items into Haiti as quickly as possible, Food For The Poor Inc is directing additional food, water and medical supplies into the Dominican Republic to be sent over the border and into the hands of the hurting Haitian people. The charity will also be sending pallets of critically needed medical items by air directly into Port-au-Prince on Sunday.

"We continue to pray for the people of Haiti and will continue to respond to the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters as they embark on the awesome task of rebuilding their lives" said Mr. Peralto.


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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Dr Shane Alexis leads JA doctors on Haiti mission

Info from Go-Jamaica | Gleaner Website

A group of volunteer doctors from the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association, (JMDA) led by their President Dr Shane Alexis along with private partners left for Haiti on Thursday, 14 January.

Dr Alexis said the group was moved by the devastation in the country.

Jamaica's health minister, Ruddy Spencer said the 20-member team comprises doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and public health inspectors.

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association ( JTA) has also opened up its offices in Mandeville, Port Maria, Montego Bay and Kingston as relief collection centers.

JTA president Michael Stewart said all donations must reach the offices by January 29.

He said the JTA will also be seeking to raise money for the Haitian survivors.

DIGICEL - FIRST MAJOR CORPORATE DONOR FOR HAITI

DIGICEL GROUP DONATES US$ 5 MILLION FOR URGENT RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI

Wednesday 13th January 2010 – Kingston, Jamaica: Digicel Group, the largest mobile company in the Caribbean and fastest growing mobile company in Central America, is donating US$5 million in cash to support the urgent relief efforts needed following the widespread devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday.

Digicel’s donation will be made to the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) who are spearheading the relief efforts.

With the impact of the earthquake resulting in considerable casualties and catastrophic damage to homes, buildings and infrastructure, Digicel is appealing to people and Governments across the world to support the people of Haiti in this their time of need.

Digicel is also sending in a team of people to Haiti early on Wednesday to assist in whatever way possible with the relief efforts and to assess the impact on its communications infrastructure which incurred damage but is operational.

Digicel is one of the largest companies in Haiti having launched its mobile services in 2006 – and as the largest foreign direct investor in Haiti today, Digicel is proud to serve over two million customers in Haiti and to be a part of the fabric of Haitian society.

Colm Delves, Group CEO of Digicel, comments; “We are deeply upset and concerned at the news of the earthquake in Haiti and want to do whatever we can to support the desperately needed relief efforts. We hope that governments around the world will also support the people of Haiti and immediately provide much needed aid to assist with the huge recovery efforts that are now needed.

“The people of Haiti welcomed us and made us their own when we launched there in 2007 and we are determined to be there for them in their time of need. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and we would like to assure them that Digicel stands ready to assist in whatever way we can at this difficult time.”

Food For The Poor Rushes Aid to Haiti

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 16, 2010) – In an effort to get as many aid items into Haiti as quickly as possible, Food For The Poor is directing food, water and medical supplies into the Dominican Republic to be sent over the border and into the hands of the hurting Haitian people.

The charity also will be sending pallets of critically needed medical items by air directly into Port-au-Prince on Sunday.

Food For The Poor, the largest international charity in the United States, will send 189 tons of goods in this shipment. The charity already had sent 100 containers of rice, canned food and medical supplies to Haiti -- most of which is already in place in Port-au-Prince and ready to be distributed. With the port there damaged and the need growing, Food For The Poor executives are expediting shipment of aid to accelerate relief activities.

“It is critical that we get this relief as soon as possible into the hands of the Haitian people and to the people who are trying to help them,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We are hearing today that orthopedic supplies are particularly needed for the trauma patients that medical staff and volunteers are treating. They are seeing terrible wounds.”

The medical supplies and equipment already housed in Food For The Poor’s Haiti warehouse were taken to a Petionville hospital on Friday night. On Saturday, trucks of food left the warehouse to be distributed to the feeding centers.

The goods are part of Food For The Poor’s initial goal to provide $5 million in relief to the struggling nation, as it recovers from one of the worst natural disasters in its history.

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the United States, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.foodforthepoor.org

Kathy Skipper
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
(954) 427-2222, ext. 6614
kathys@foodforthepoor.org

Race against time in Haiti!


Antonia Graham of Digicel greets Carine Jones, a Haitian mother, with her children, after arriving from Haiti at the Norman Manley International Airport on Friday. Jones' husband, who is Jamaican, works with Digicel. - Rudolph Brown/Photographer

Jamaica Gleaner | Saturday | January 16, 2010
Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter


AS THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) mobilises regional relief efforts to aid its Haitian neighbours, senior officials from Jamaica echoed fears of not finding any more survivors beyond the critical 72-hour mark, which elapsed yesterday evening.

It was made clear that persons, who might still be trapped beneath debris, are in a race against time. And the clock is winning.

"Life can only be sustained for so long without air and water, so if you recall when the event occurred, it may have been 4:30 p.m. or 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday, and we are now at Friday, so essentially that window is closing.

"Very, very few people have been found alive late in the day, so we are really running out of time in terms of the rescue efforts that have to be conducted," said Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, who was a member of the Jamaican contingent, led by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, that visited Haiti on Thursday.

shared feelings


The director general's fears were corroborated by Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz, who also made the trip to Haiti and witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the seismic activity earlier this week.

"The window of opportunity for rescuing is probably almost closed by now as we speak, based on the heat and all the other elements," lamented Vaz.

(click on title for full story)

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com

Friday, January 15, 2010

Haiti cries for help

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

JA Catholics help Haiti

STATEMENT FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN JAMAICA



The Roman Catholic Church in Jamaica shares the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters who are coming to terms with the destruction of property, personal injury and loss of life resulting from the earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12.

As an expression of solidarity, Masses have been offered for the repose of the souls of those who died, and we request continued prayers for those who are left behind, that God will comfort and strengthen them and send quick assistance to alleviate their suffering. A special Mass will be offered at Sts. Peter & Paul Church on Sunday, January 17 at 9.00 a.m. for the people of Haiti. The Ambassador of Haiti and his staff and other members of the Diplomatic Corps have been invited to attend.

Our contribution to the international effort of relief and support will take the form of accepting financial contributions through 2nd collections in all Catholic Churches on January 17 and 24. All cheques, including those that may be left at the various Chanceries, are to be made out to:

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston/Haiti

Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay/Haiti

Roman Catholic Bishop of Mandeville/Haiti

Our Catholic Schools are also taking up collections for the relief effort.

The Catholic Church in Jamaica, as it prays and offers help, encourage all to support the united effort to help in the rebuilding of the livelihood of our Haitian neighbours.



Most Rev. Donald J. Reece, D.D.

Archbishop of Kingston



Most Rev. Charles H. Dufour, D.D.

Bishop of Montego Bay



Most Rev. Neil Tiedemann, C.P., D.D.

Bishop of Mandeville



January 15, 2010



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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Food for the Poor Haiti Appeal

 
Earthquake in Haiti

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
01/12/10

CONTACTS:    Kathy Skipper                                     Aimee Vignola

Public Relations Manager                     Public Relations

954.427.2222, ext. 6614                        954.427.2222, ext. 6079
            
kathys@foodforthepoor.com                          aimeev@foodforthepoor.com

 

Earthquake in Haiti
      
Donations: http://www.foodforthepoor.org/haitiquake
  or 1-800-487-1158

 

Food For The Poor

Updated Information:

 

Interview available with Executive Director Angel Aloma, and staff member in Haiti.

 

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2010) – An earthquake hit off the coast of Haiti, about 10 miles west from the Caribbean nation's capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the US Geological Society. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0.

 

Currently, Food For The Poor has a group of 12 college students, and two faculty advisors in Haiti on a mission trip. They attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Our President/ CEO is in communications with Lynn's President Dr. Kevin Ross, who is gathering information as it comes in from the students' parents. Food For The Poor's Mission Officer in Haiti said the students were dropped off at the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince at 4 pm. We have learned there has been some damage to the hotel and are working to ascertain that the students, advisors and our staff are safe.

 

Food For The Poor has been in contact with several members of the staff currently in Haiti. Employees have reported the following accounts:

 

-- A hospital has collapsed in Pétionville, a town in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince

-- There appear to be more homes down than standing in several areas of Port-au-Prince

-- Major number of homes down in the area of Delmas

-- One staffer saw a five-story building collapse

-- One employee saw a major bridge, the Croix de Mission, collapse right in front of her as she drove home. The bridge is a major artery to the North end of Haiti from Port-au-Prince.

-- A portion of Food For The Poor's main office in Port-au-Price has collapsed. Our feeding center (Food For the Poor provides food for thousands of Haitians on a daily basis there) and the charity's warehouse are there. We are still gathering information on the extent of the damage.

-- Cell phone communication continues to be limited.

-- Food For the Poor has 2 employees in Santo, Domingo where the shocks were strongly felt. The hotel they were at during the quake asked all guests to stay in the lobby until the shocks subsided.

 

Food For The Poor will do everything it can to reach out to the people of Haiti, and will keep updating our website as information comes in.

 





Sunday, January 10, 2010

Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer to visit Jamaica

Passing this on from Fay Bangerter:

Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer to visit Jamaica

Internationally acclaimed Bible teacher, conference speaker and Spirit-filled Minister, Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer will be visiting Jamaica for eight days later this month. Rabbi Messer actively teaches the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith fulfilling the great commission to "...make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) Rabbi Messer is pioneering a work to bring the "Good News" of Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in the Torah to the Nations. He teaches all of the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. www.torah.tv

Rabbi Messer will have his first speaking engagement in Montego Bay on Sunday January 24th at 6 PM where he has been invited by Pastor Mary Wildish Reece to preach the sermon at The Meeting Place.

On Monday the 25th the Rabbi moves on to Trelawny where he has been invited by Pastor Gladstone Fairweather to preach at the 7 PM service.

Tuesday the 26th January will find Rabbi Messer in Spauldings where Pastor Bernard Harris has invited him to present a Seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith at the Spauldings Apostolic Church at 9 AM and to preach at the 5 PM service.

On Wednesday the 27th Rabbi Messer moves to Kingston and in the afternoon, he will be interviewed by Ian Boyne for his Religious Hard Talk program.

That evening Rabbi Messer will present a seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith at Grace Missionary Chapel at West Avenue, Camperdown at 6:30.

The following day, Thursday the 28th, Rabbi Messer will be the guest of Dr. Henley Morgan who has invited the Rabbi to present a seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Church at Praise City International in Arnett Gardens and to preach the Sermon at their 6:30 PM service.

On Friday morning the 29th the Rabbi will have an early start with a breakfast meeting with Pastor David Henry and the Elders of Swallowfield Chapel.

Leaders and members of Temple Beth Shalom will be blessed by Rabbi Messer conducting the Erev Shabbat Service on Friday at 6:30PM and the Shabbat Torah Service on Saturday at 11 AM.

On Saturday 30th Rabbi will conclude his day at the Berea Seventh Day Christian Church where Pastor Levi Rodney has invited him to be the guest preacher.

Rabbi Messer concludes his busy "Set it Straight Tour' on Sunday 31st January with a Service at Pastor Al Miller's Fellowship Tabernacle at 7:30 AM and a seminar on the Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith which will commence at 6 PM.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Heed Aviv's warnings!

From my friend Larry Lee:

Juval Aviv was the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie ' Munich ' was based. He was Golda Meir's bodyguard -- she appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games. 

In a lecture in New York City a few weeks ago, he shared information that EVERY American needs to know -- but that our government has not yet shared with us.

He predicted the London subway bombing on the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox News stating publicly that it would happen within a week. At the time, O'Reilly laughed and mocked him saying that in a week he wanted him back on the show. But, unfortunately, within a week the terrorist attack had occurred. 

Juval Aviv gave intelligence (via what he had gathered in Israel and the Middle East ) to the Bush Administration about 9/11 a month before it occurred. His report specifically said they would use planes as bombs and target high profile buildings and monuments. Congress has since hired him as a security consultant. 

Now for his future predictions. He predicts the next terrorist attack on the U.S. will occur within the next few months. 

Forget hijacking airplanes, because he says terrorists will NEVER try and hijack a plane again as they know the people on board will never go down quietly again. Aviv believes our airport security is a joke -- that we have been reactionary rather than proactive in developing strategies that are truly effective. 

For example: 

1) Our airport technology is outdated. We look for metal, and the new explosives are made of plastic. 

2) He talked about how some idiot tried to light his shoe on fire. Because of that, now everyone has to take off their shoes. A20group of idiots tried to bring aboard liquid explosives. Now we can't bring liquids on board. He says he's waiting for some suicidal maniac to pour liquid explosive on his underwear; at which point, security will have us all traveling naked! Every strategy we have is reactionary.

3) We only focus on security when people are heading to the gates. Aviv says that if a terrorist attack targets airports in the future, they will target busy times on the front end of the airport when/where people are checking in. It  would be easy for someone to take two suitcases of explosives, walk up to a busy check-in line, ask a person next to them to watch their bags for a minute while they run to the restroom or get a drink, and then detonate the bags BEFORE security even gets involved. In Israel , security checks bags BEFORE people can even ENTER the airport. 

Aviv says the next terrorist attack here in America is imminent and will involve suicide bombers and non-suicide bombers in places where large groups of people congregate. (i.e., Disneyland, Las Vegas casinos, big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc.- and that it will also include shopping malls, subways in rush hour, train stations, etc., as well as rural America this time (Wyoming, Montana, etc.). 

The attack will be characterized by simultaneous detonations around the country (terrorists like big impact), involving at least 5-8 cities, including rural areas. 

Aviv says terrorists won't need to use suicide bombers in many of the larger cities, because at places like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas , they can simply valet park a car loaded with explosives and walk away. Aviv says all of the above is well known in intelligence circles, but that our U. S. government does not want to alarm American citizens' with the facts. The world is quickly going to become 'a different place', and issues like 'global warming' and political correctness will become totally irrelevant. 

On an encouraging note, he says that Americans don't have to be concerned about being nuked. Aviv says the terrorists who want to destroy America will not use sophisticated weapons. They like to use suicide as a front-line approach. It's cheap, it's easy, it's effective; and they have an infinite abundance of young militants more than willing to 'meet their destiny'. 

He also says the next level of terrorists, over which America should be most concerned, will not be coming from abroad. But will be, instead, 'homegrown' -- having attended and been educated in our own schools and universities right here in the U. S. He says to look for 'students' who frequently travel back and forth to the Middle East . These young terrorists will be most dangerous because they will know our language and will fully understand the habits of Americans; but that we Americans won't know/understand a thing about them.  Aviv says that, as a people, Americans are unaware and uneducated about the terrorist threats we will, inevitably, face. America still has only have a handful of Arabic and Farsi speaking people in our intelligence networks, and Aviv says it is critical that we change that fact SOON. 

So, what can America do to protect itself? From an intelligence perspective, Aviv says the U.S. needs to stop relying on satellites and technology for intelligence. We need to, instead, follow Israel 's, Ireland 's and England 's hands-on examples of human intelligence, both from an infiltration perspective as well as to trust 'aware' citizens to help. We need to engage and educate ourselves as citizens; however, our U. S. government continues to treat us, its citizens, 'like babies'. Our government thinks we 'can't handle the truth' and are concerned that we'll panic if we understand the realities of terrorism. Aviv says this is a deadly mistake. 

Aviv recently created/executed a security test for our Congress, by placing an empty briefcase in five well-traveled spots in five major cities. The results? Not one person called 911 or sought a policeman to check it out. In fact, in Chicago , someone even tried to steal the briefcase!

In comparison, Aviv says that citizens of Israel are so well 'trained' that an unattended bag or package would be reported in seconds by citizen(s) who know to publicly shout, 'Unattended Bag!' The area would be quickly & calmly cleared by the citizens themselves. But, unfortunately, America hasn't been yet 'hurt enough' by terrorism for their government to fully understand the need to educate its citizens or for the government to understand that it's their citizens who are, inevitably, the best first-line of defence against terrorism. 

Aviv also was concerned about the high number of children here in America who were in preschool and kindergarten after 9/11, who were 'lost' without parents being able to pick them up, and about our schools that had no plan in place to best care for the students until parents could get there. (In New York City , this was days, in some cases!) 

He stresses the importance of having a plan, that's agreed upon within your family, to respond to in the event of a terrorist emergency. He urges parents to contact their children's schools and demand that the schools, too, develop plans of actions, as they do in Israel . 

Does your family know what to do if you can't contact one another by phone? Where would you gather in an emergency? He says we should all have a plan that is easy enough for even our youngest children to remember and follow. 

Aviv says that the U.S. government has in force a plan that, in the event of another terrorist attack, will immediately cut-off Everyone's ability to use cell phones, blackberries, etc., as this is the preferred communication source used by terrorists and is often the way that their bombs are detonated. 

How will you communicate with your loved ones in the event you cannot speak? You need to have a plan. 

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Sunday, January 3, 2010

Paul Banta: 'Be a Giver in 2010'

Sharing this from  
Paul Banta's Global Soccer Ministries - International Devotional - January 1, 2010
 
BE A BLESSING GIVER WITH YOUR TALENTS
Scripture: Genesis 12:2 says, "I will bless you ... and you will be a blessing."
 
... From first hand knowledge I can tell you that it's much better in the world we live in to give than to constantly be taking in as the receiver. Being a constant receiver changes our lives to be dependent on others and not God. I've learned by giving over and over again we become dependent on giving our gifts away to where we have to become more relying on the Lord to supply our resources. I can guarantee that if you're truly a committed person of God there will be blessings waiting for you beyond your imagination in Heaven and to tell you the truth you'll be getting them before you even get there and this has nothing to do with 'Prosperity Christianity'. It just the way God in His deep love for us works.
 
How about doing the "New Year Resolution Thing" and plan just how you're going to bring blessing to others ... so God can bless your life in 2010?

... When We Put an Effort into Others Stuff Happens
God promises that if we will concentrate on blessing others, he'll take care of our needs. There's almost nothing that God won't do for the person who really wants to help other people. In fact, God guarantees this blessing. In Luke chapter 18, Jesus says, "I guarantee this. Anyone who gives up anything for the kingdom of God will certainly receive many times more in this life and will receive eternal life in the next world to come."

When We Bless Others Things Happen to Us
The more you bless others, the more God blesses our lives. Luke 6:38 tells us, "Give your life away and you'll find your life given back. But not merely given back. Given back with bonus and blessing." Not a bad deal right? You cannot out-give God. The more you do the blessing other thing in the game, the more God says, "I'm going to pour blessings out on you."
 
Who Are Your Pouring Your Life Into
God wants us to be blessed not just so that we can feel good about ourselves, not just so we can be happy and comfortable in life and have a clear conscience before our Lord, but so that we will bless others beyond their imagination. God told Abraham in Genesis 12, "I will bless you and you will be a blessing to others."

If God Is Giving Providing for You He Expects You to Help Him
 
Jesus said it this way in Luke chapter 12 "Much is required from those to whom much is given. For their responsibility is greater."
 
Based on the blessings of your life (think about them), what is God expecting from you?
...
2 Peter 1:5-11 says, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. So if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he (she) is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he (she) has been cleansed from there past sins. Therefore, my brothers (sisters), be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

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