Words from a Pastor

Pastor Jay Richardson, pastor of Summit Church in Florida, and a team of surgeons and other docs worked through the night at a hospital in Port au Prince.

Its rough. I have seen things I never wanted to see. The amount of amputations is astounding. Watching people die, hearing the screams and cries of loved ones is heartbreaking. I carried a 13 year old boy dead out of the hospital last night - it was excruciating. The smells are not good but not as bad as expected - God's protection. I can handle visuals but I don't do well with smells. Our shift last night was hard and long but we made it through. Things are starting to pick up at the hospital, but there are so many with closed fractures that desperately need care and there are just too many that have more severe fractures and wounds that are a priority. I can't imagine laying around with a compound fracture in my tibia or femur for days. I had to move a couple of these patients and their legs were literally like jelly - awful. Anyway we hope to head back to MOH soon and get some rest and then head back to the hospital. Please pray for return travel for not only us but the other teams who have been working tirelessly!

Day 5, Brad Johnson

Sunday, January 17, 2010

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Day six and we are still seeing people that have open wounds, exposed bones, and lines of people that need surgery. I was so moved today by a mother holding her 4 year old son. His leg had a part of the wall fall on it and it had been broken for six days. I just could not image my child being in agony for six days. Our doctors put a cast on him and he should heal fine. Another lady came in and had third degree burns on her. Again for six days.

We are over 250,000 meals distributed to those in need and we are giving more and more out each day through the local churches. It is amazing to see the HaitiOne alliance come together. We are getting reports from all over of the damage and the need.

As our staff continues to come back to see us so many are now homeless. It is heart breaking to hear that all they have worked for so long is now gone. To look into a dad’s eyes and know that he can not provide one of the most essential things to his children, shelter. If you think of the task ahead, it can be quite over whelming, but you have to take a day at a time and help all the people you can.

But there is Hope.

We were able to buy fuel today! That is great news because now we can keep our trucks moving.

It was amazing to watch our team at work today. From the guys that manage our warehouse, the drivers, the visiting doctors, and those giving out the food it was a beautiful picture of people being the Hands and Feet of Jesus. Many organizations have joined together to help those in need and we are seeing people start the long road to recover. We are seeing people that realize there will be a better day.

Thanks so much for your prayers. I am not sure how many of our staff is able to do it. They get up early, exhaust all there resources during the day and then plan at night, only to drop into bed and do it all over again. I do believe that God is giving us the strength and courage to take on this task and it has so much to do with the prayers being lifted up.

Thanks

Day 4, Brad Johnson

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Gabraelle is 10 years old and sweet as anything. Her leg was broken in two places and needed to be set, she also suffered a head injury and many scrapes and bruises.

While so much aid is coming to Haiti and reports are that it’s not getting out, Mission of Hope has delivered over 250,000 meals since the Earthquake, helped thousands medically. We have a team in that will be drilling water, a team that is working on mobile water sanitation units, a team of surgeons from Ft. Myers Fl., a team of general Docs going out to those in need.

God is using MOH and the HaitiOne Alliance to reach the people of Haiti despite what the news is reporting. The Missions of Haiti are working together like never before. It’s amazing to see how God has Joined the body together through this.

Please keep our staff in your prayers. We still have over 60 staff members that we have not heard from. Our North American staff are wearing down and it’s by God’s Grace and power that we continue on.

As I drove through town yesterday, the devastation was horrific, but the Stories of God saving people was what Shined. There is HOPE. Now our biggest challenge will be how do we recover? There is a mass exodus from Port au prince and many people are going to the country sides. Food shortages are everyone due to all pipelines being broke.

In the days and weeks to come we need your prayers and support. We are supposed to have tents and water coming by air cargo soon. We had a shipment arrive yesterday via air and one this morning. Please pray for Fuel and more supplies.

God bless you

Day 3 Brad Johnson

Friday, January 15, 2010


Joy & Pain



It is incredible how my emotions have been so low and so high. Today, slowly walking up to the office, was our director of security that we had not heard from. Oh the joy to see that He was alive! We feared he was dead. We hugged and as the tears came rolling down his face, a former military man that has not shed many tears in his life, he told me of his four children and niece that died as his house fell.

Oh What Pain.

I can not imagine what he is feeling. I talk to staff here at MOH and many have lost family and friends. Others are still missing. There is so much pain throughout Haiti, but the amazing thing is people are singing and praising God. Many people at night get together and thank Jesus for life. I just can not imagine what they must be feeling.

We are sending food and medical teams out to serve the people of this nation. Today we will distribute over 100,000 meals. In the coming days we plan to distribute food, tents, and water. We have large church in Port au Prince where our medical teams are now working.

Please pray for the ports to open so we can get aid into Haiti. We have those willing to send aid but all the ports are broken at this point. The airspace is too crowded for many planes to come. Praise God we have 18 days of fuel and over 1 million meals to give out. Please pray for our water needs. We are transporting water right now for the MOH base, but diesel fuel is hard to find. It is needed to transport both the water and food. I know that God will provide. His word tells us that if we seek his Kingdom first, our needs will be provided. God will provide!

Thanks for your many prayers. Our days are very long here but we are honored to serve the Lord in Haiti. If you can, please help us financially. The efforts are costing us a great deal of funds and resources we had stored, but the need is so great we must be obedient with what we have here at MOH to help those in need.

Day 2 - Brad Johnson

Thursday, January 14, 2010

God is good. Today we got up in Santo Domingo and went to a small airport to meet our choppers. When we arrive we were welcomed by many news agencies all trying to get to Haiti. Fox, NBC, CBS and many foreign agencies. Our Chopper was taken by the Red Cross and was working in Haiti. We worked for an hour and a half with our brother that lives in Chicago but is from the Dominican and he found us a pilot with a leer jet. Our pilot was a long haired Columbian looking fellow. He did not emit a lot of professional conduct as I have grown accustom with American Airlines but he assured me that he could get us to Haiti in 22 minutes. So with much prayer and a lot of determination we went with him. The jet could hold five. After five hours of waiting, God open the door for our jet to go. So many others including the news networks could not get a ride to Haiti, but not our God… He got us a jet to take us in.

As we let the airport in the Dominican I sat co pilot and could see the beauty of the nation. It was very peaceful. As we crossed the mountains into Haiti I could see the smoke rising from the city. When we landed it was an unreal sight. Military, cargo planes, helicopters, and news agencies. The airport was all busted up. Many broken windows, cracked walls there was only one hall way open to go out.

As we left the airport it was so good to be home… but so sad to be home. The fear in people’s eyes… Hundreds and hundreds of people walking along the streets with blank stares and their hands full of stuff, many I am sure had lost their homes and were now with out any place to go. As we continued to drive we saw many dead bodies and four and five story building that were completely flat. One hospital on the edge of PAP was completely flat. The loss of live will be unimaginable. The reports are very grim.

As I arrived at Mission of Hope all I could do was Praise God. It is entirely intact. God’s hand was on the MOH and I have to believe the prayers of so many came to fruition in one of Haiti’s darkest hours.

Now I am meeting with our team to form our plan of ministering to Haiti. It may be Haiti’s darkest hour but that only means that being Christ hands and feet will now make our light that much brighter. Thanks for your prayers they are cherished.

A Word From Brad Johnson, MOH President

January 13, 2010











Saturday I left Haiti with my family after three weeks of being at the Mission. We left the nation that God called us to. We were headed back to the US to continue to let people know of all God is doing in Haiti. Now just a few days later I am on my way to Santo Domingo to hopefully fly by helicopter over to Haiti. I was stunned as most were of the devastation that this earthquake has brought upon Haiti. My stomach churned and my heart sank as I heard reports of how many are dead. The Hotel that Vanessa loved to have coffee at and look over the capital is in ruins, the national palace is down, the place where we purchase groceries for the teams is destroyed. How will Haiti recover? There is no insurance to help rebuild, and the resources are limited. Only God knows.

As I look around there are many that are trying to get to Haiti. There is the man two seats in front of me that has not heard from his wife since the earth quake hit. There are many TV reporters with there camera crews from all over the world trying to get the big story. My concern is what’s behind that story. Soon the media will move on to the next story, but Haiti will not. It will still be in dire need.

As I arrive in Haiti tomorrow I am concerned at what I will find. Our staff at MOH has worked around the clock to help the wounded. We have had four die. I am concerned that, as the world watches many will forget to ask what if it was me, what if I did not know where my child was, what if all I had in this world was now gone. My prayer is that MOH can show the Love of Christ to the people of Haiti. I pray that we can be there when it seems that there is no Hope, be what God intended the Church to be, A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

Please pray for our 150 plus staff in Haiti. Many of them we have not heard from. Pray for direction that we can be the best we can be in this tragedy. If you can donate, please do so generously. We will do all we can with the resources we have. Lastly Pray for the Nation of Haiti. Ps 61 says, “…when my heart is overwhelmed, Lord lead me to the Rock that is higher than I…”

MOH Clinic Activity

The following photos are of the MOH Clinic. There have been non-stop patients since the Disaster happened. Pray for our staff and the visiting Medical team for strength to endure. There is no where else for the Haitian people in that are to go for help. We are running low on medical supplies and will need funds for food, water, and fuel also. If you can help please do by clicking the donation button at the top left of the blog.

Everyone is helping. Michelle, daughter of one of our North American Staff Families, is holding hands and praying for all she can.

Press Release

Earthquake devastates Haiti
Mission of Hope Responds Quickly

For Immediate Release

An estimated 1.8 million residents were violently shaken by an earthquake affecting the densely populated areas near Port-au-Prince January 12. Mission of Hope (MOH), a ministry who serves the hurting and less fortunate in Haiti, is quickly organizing its “first responder” teams. Many of its staff are already providing healthcare in its medical clinic to those injured by the quake.

“Our staff on the ground reports that this looks really bad, but we’ve been here before with the hurricanes two years ago,” said Brad Johnson, Mission of Hope president. “We have the infrastructure in place and prepared to serve.”

Johnson says the MOH warehouse is stocked with 1.5 million meals which will begin to be distributed immediately.

Fortunately, the North American Mission of Hope staff and families and the orphanage children at MOH have been spared major calamity, though buildings and other facilities have yet to be surveyed for damage. We still have not heard from many of the 150 Haitian Staff and 1,200 students that attend our school. MOH has established a command center in front of is campus at 777 Route Nationale #1.

Haiti is already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 8 out of 10 people living in extreme poverty.

Johnson says donations of cash and medical supplies are needed to support the many needs affecting those devastated by the 7.0 earthquake.

“Haiti is a difficult place to live on a good day,” said Johnson. “Pray for the funds and resources to provide the needed assistance.”

General Information about Haiti

• There are still 400,000 children without parents in Haiti. These children are left alone to fend for themselves on the streets.
• There are still over 17,000 children in our area that will never go to school. They have healthy minds but no money for school.1 out of 5 children will die before the age of five.

For more information on Mission of Hope go to www.mohhaiti.org and www.haitione.org.

Earthquake Disaster Relief Updates

Follow this blog for updates on Mission of Hope's Disaster Relief Efforts.