Haitians, like this boy, scavenge amidst the rubble for something of value in the devastated center of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which was ravaged by a January 12 earthquake. Photo by Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance.
I want to share with you a letter received from Pastor Joseph Livenson Lauvanus, the President of the Lutheran Church in Haiti. On January 20th, the ELCA formalized our relationship with the church in Haiti, showing greater solidarity and commitment to accompany this small church as it responds to the needs of its community in the wake of this national disaster.
Pr. Lauvanus was in Florida when the earthquake happened but on January 29th, with the assistance of ELCA Disaster Response, he flew to the Dominican Republic, where he then traveled via a UN Humanitarian Relief Convoy back to Haiti. He is currently staying on the LWF compound.
This letter describs his impressions after returning to his homeland after the disaster. Please keep Pr. Lauvanus in your prayers.
Dear friends,
I reach Haiti yesterday afternoon. It was time for me to finally see things for myself for me not to live in denial anymore. From the DR to the LWF I did not see much of what was going on. I just see a few demolished buildings. This morning I went to Port-au-Prince and from there to Carrefour, and it is the first time in my entire life I’ve seen so much destructions. Read More…
