Heartline Update

Dear Heather,
The following is John's latest blog. He is not able to prepare any emails as his time is needed to care for the children and people in our organization. check out the links at left for information. Please make people aware of our organization and need. Many people do not know where to donate and want their money to be used 100% in Haiti. All donations we receive for Earthquake relief will be used solely for recovery and rebuilding in Haiti.



HEARTLINE UPDATE
It has been a busy day trying to stay on top of things here at Heartline and to still have time to respond to emergencies.

We will tonight have about 15 people sleeping at our house as some simply have lost their homes and for others it is not safe to return because of structural damage.

We are starting to see people on the streets with their mouth and nose covered with a cloth or a mask as the stench of death is beginning to hang in the air. In our particular area it is not as bad as some places where bodies are stacked on the side of the road and still buried in rubble. Today as I was on the road, I was passed by a police pickup truck that was stacked with dead bodies.

I will not post any pictures of this and I assure you that a photo can not communicate the pain and despair that so many are feeling as we are now entering the days of discovery. These are the days when people discover that their homes have been destroyed or some of their missing friends, neighbors, and family have been killed. And some discover the joy of having found loved ones.

Some of the comments I have had spoken to me today by people that we are involved with are:
• I have had many friends die.
• Most of the houses in my area have been destroyed.
• My house has been destroyed
• I have no place to live and sleep; I am on the street.
• I can't find my...
• I can't believe the widespread destruction.
• My area has the bad smell of death.
• I have lost everything

One of our security guards can't even talk as he has lost his voice due to the shock of losing so many in his neighborhood.


HEARTLINE

My priority is the care of the children and the well being our other missionary families and of our workers.

The children are well and being cared for at the Buxman's home, where they are basically living outside as the children's homes are not yet secure. We are working to secure them but it is slow going as we can't even remove the rubble as there are no trucks on the road to cart away the debris and we also are not able to get supplies such as sand, rock, cement, steel as there are no trucks to transport the materials here and we do not have the cash to pay for the supplies. We have money in the bank, but we have no access to it as the banks are closed.

We as well have a responsibility to our incredible workers who still are coming to care for our children, in spite of some having lost their homes, family members, friends and neighbors. Yet they come because they love the children.

We also have a responsibility to the women in our women's program, who as it is live desperate lives. They are starting to trickle into the women's center with stories of having lost much or all that they had.

We expect to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have those who are directly involved with Heartline to rebuild their tiny one to two room homes or to help them secure new homes.

So many want to come and help but at this point it is not possible for you to get here and the best thing that you could do is to donate to help Heartline help others. It will be days perhaps until we have access to money You may press here or here to donate. Your generosity will help to help those who are so desperate. These are people that we personally know and are involved with regularly. Please imagine and multiply it over and over again, a woman with 5 children, no husband, and now no place to live. YOUR HELP MATTERS.

If you have written to me and I have not responded, please forgive me as I have been extremely busy.

I have received numerous requests from news organization to comment on the situation but have decided not to do so as many are already talking about what is happening here.

Thank you for your love, care, concern, and prayers.

We are doing our best to stay encouraged and to honor God by working hard to make a difference.

Endeavoring to be the hands of Christ in Haiti,

John McHoul
http://haiti-relief.org/
go to the above link to donate