FRIDAY UPDATE

The sun is shining & the skies are clear blue. "It is a beautiful day in Haiti!", I would normally declare. Optimistic as it is, it is clearly a difficult statement to make.

Some good news for us here at MTM. Mme. Stephen, our Gramothe school cook & matron of the village, was finally able to phone Willem yesterday. The hospital she was at evacuated Tuesday evening & she found herself near the airport & had been sleeping in the street. She is now at home in Gramothe.

19 of the 23 member Chicago team that was with us have just now departed for the U.S. Embassy where they will remain as they await evacuation. The remaining 4 will be with us until the airport & airlines resume operation. The trauma that this medical team saw at the Baptist Haiti Mission hospital on Tuesday night has taken it's toll, especially on the non-medical people on the team. Continued tremors have us all on the edge of our nerves.

We have no word yet of the MTM school in the village of Dumay. We have not yet been able to go there either.

Victims that have come to our gate have gaping wounds filled with debris & broken limbs that cannot be repaired. Hospitals & clinics here, the few that are still standing, have no supplies. These victims will continue to come, one by one. We will continue to minister however we can. This is truly a time that we will depend on our Healer to do the impossible.

On a personal note, we are very proud of our sons, Stephen & David who have shown forth their gifts of help, compassion, encouagement & others during this week. Stephen has translated & assisted medical proceedures while David just keeps the air light for the all of us at the house. They were in the city yesterday helping friends to recover items from a collapsed house. They have learned about the deaths of at least 2 children at their school as well as classmates' parents that have died or are missing. They seem unaffected, but we are talking.

Tremors continued this morning, though they were heavy for us, I'm sure they were much harder in Port Au Prince. In country phone communications are still not 100%. Everyone is working together to locate loved ones that have not yet been heard from. Victims are still trying to get medical attention. People are still litterally sleeping in the streets for fear of the tremors & because their homes have already been destroyed.

We remain in conservation mode, but we are stepping it up a notch. Gas stations & markets are not yet open & the president of Haiti has not yet spoken to the people.

We really cannot express how grateful we are for all of the emails & facebook comments made this week. We know you are praying. We are encouraged to see & hear your words of encouragement & to know that you are encouraging others. Please, do not stop! We need to see you are there.
Everyone wants to know the needs. Below are the most immediate needs & how you can help. Please, do what you can & continue to encourage others.

IMMIDIATE NEEDS:

• MEDICAL ATTENTION
• FOOD
• REBUILDING

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• PRAY that in everything that is done, that God would recieve the glory. PRAY for all of the relief workers, they need stamina, courage, wisdom & strength to endure all that is before them. PRAY for the people of Haiti as they praise God for his mercy & ask for provisions & for HIS continued grace.
• GIVE, GIVE, GIVE & encourage others to give: Donations may be made at the MTM website, go to

www.mtmhaiti.com & click on "DONATE"

or

make check payable to Mountain Top Ministries & mail to:

Mountain Top Ministries

P.O. Box 7053

Terre Haute, IN 47802

In Canada for a Canadian tax-deductable reciept, make check payable to "Christian Haitian Ministries", designate as "MTM Earthquake Relief" & mail to:

Christain Haitian Ministries

149-264th Street

Aldergrove, B.C. V4W 2K1

Canada

• COME to serve. As the airlines open up & MTM is able to provide safe working conditions & provisions, we need people to come to help us rebuild lives. Medical, construction & spiritual rebuilding is needed. If you are willing to be on standby for any such teams, please email us right away.

In closing, we are getting hundreds of emails & Face Book comments each day. Moving forward, the primary communication from MTM will be this blog post with additional comments on our Facebook page (email address mtmhaiti@gmail.com). You are welcome to join the Facebook page, but we ask that you do not email MTM at the address above, at this time, unless you are in need of a definate response. It is difficult for us to sort through all of the emails & our time is limited with the other tasks at hand.

Again, we thank GOD for each of you & your efforts to minister to the Haitian people during this time. If you need to speak with an MTM representative, you may call the MTM office at 812-870-3939 to speak with Angie, or, 812-870-5101 to speak with Deb.

With sincere gratitude,

Willem & Beth Charles & Family

Mountain Top Ministries, Haiti

THURSDAY UPDATE

Time seems to be creeping as so many are searching for loved ones & help. Lots of heoric stories of those who have given their lives to protect others from falling debri. Slowly, victims are coming to our gate for treatment after being turned away from broken down or "out of supply" hospitals. Many large, open wounds full of debri, too old to suture.

We've said it before & we'll say it again, God is in control & we will continue to be his hands extended.

No new tremors today and I think everyone slept well last night. The team patiently waits word of when the airport will be open for their flight home, it won't be today. It has been reported that the run way is in good condition but the control tower suffered heavy damage.

We have some local phone service but it's still not 100%. Gas stations are not open & markets are still closed. We are in conservation mode.

One of our Kindergarten students at the Gramothe school died after suffering injuries from fallen debris. The family is unable to find a casket for burial. A couple of men on the team will build one for them.

We can hear a church singing in the distance. The death wail across the valley has come to a hush with the exception of an occasional cry. The presence of God in the singing church brings peace to the spirit of the people here.

Please continue to pray for Haiti & her people & those working to help them. Thank you in advance for your help.

UPDATE CONTINUED..

Willem spent time getting out today to see Port Au Prince. The conditions all over are very bad. Please continue to pray for Haiti.
There is much need for immediate aide here now. At present, no relief aid has come to Haiti.
The medical team working at MTM this week spent the day cleaning up the Gramothe clinic, seeing just a few patients from the village. The clinic had a lot of supplies toppled from shelves, but the building remains in tack.
Several trauma injuries were seen in our front yard this morning including a young lady that I think was sure she would die. She was a student from Port Au Prince that was in her school when a portion of it fell on her. She was brought to us lying in the bed of a truck, looking as if she had no hope, but praying & encouraged when asked if she knew Jesus. She had gone to a hospital in the city, they bandaged her chin & sent her away (it was a gash worthy of stitches but none were given). She came to us unable to move, not having passed urine since yesterday. After carefully tending to her facial wound, the nurses then turned to her next situation trying a very simple procedure, warm water! They filled a wash tub with warm water & had the young lady sit in it & walla! she peed! Praise God it was a simple fix with a happy ending.

The last tremor was felt at sometime around 12 midnight Tuesday. While having dinner at 4 today, we had another heavy tremor that sent the team out of the house. It wasn't long before there was a knock at the gate. Our little 13 yr. old family friend that is helping David with his Creole popped his head in to ask if he could stay. His aunt wasn't home & the quake had brought down a part of their house leaving him homeless. We welcomed him in. Just a few minutes after came another knock. Twelve frightened children enter our home, each greeting me with a kiss, it was the children from our very own Laboule Childrens' Home. A house near them had fallen with the last tremor & the nanny was concerned that she had not yet heard from her family. So, we welcomed them in too! Stephen & David are hosting the slumber party with peanut butter, raisin crackers, water & a movie that they all enjoyed together after we made their beds on the floor of the front room. It was quite an interesting sight :) So, tomorrow morning we will be having breakfast for 37!

I was able to get out to the store this morning to get some supplies & water. We have all that we need, are safe & at this time, steady.

As I drove to the only open store for miles around I watched people walking. Some walked with a purpose while others walked with a blank stare as if they weren't sure where they were going. Some walked by themselves & others walked with their families with their belongings on their heads or carrying their sick looking for help. The devastation I witnessed in the faces of people, the stories at the market & the rubble on the street is nothing compared to what is going on in Port Au Prince.

The team from Chicago that is here is waiting word to know when they can fly home. We have another team due in on Monday that will be working with the students, church leadership & doing construction work. Nurses will also be on the team & will be prepared to assist those in need. Again, please pray.

We are blessed with all of the phone calls, emails & face book posts that have been made . Thank you, please keep them coming. Right now, please, keep praying.
The most immediate need is medical care & shelter. It is a time that Haitians are pulling together to help each other, but it is still a time of great need.

Many have emailed & phoned to ask how they can help & where they can send money. First & far most, PRAY! If you'd like to give, you may give at our website or send a check or money order to MTM, P.O. Box 7053, Terre Haute, IN 47802. Please designate your gift as "Earthquake Relief".

We should be able to post more pictures tomorrow & we will continue to post as we are able. Our internet was down all day today. Without internet we also have no satellite phone. There is still no cell or land line phone service which also means without internet we are left with no means of communication (we are emailing our local friends in an effort to save gas).
Pray for aide to arrive, pray for the families that have lost, pray for those healing & pray for those in authority to make wise decisions. Thank you in advance for your prayers!

EARTHQUAKE UPDATE-PICTURES

These are a couple pictures from Gramothe:

The Little x Little Medical team from Chicago, hard at work in our front yard.

UPDATE

It's nearly 3:00AM Wednesday. The medical team has returned from the hospital, had something to eat, caught their breath & are now off to bed for some rest. No one knows what day light will bring. At least 100 horrifically injured patients were ministered to by this group of 23 as they came to the rescue of 2 doctors & just a few nurses left to handle the masses of wounded.
The tremors have ceased, as of about 1:00AM.
We are all exhausted, ready to trust sleep.
Words cannot express our thanks for your prayers tonight. Please continue to pray for Haiti.

HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE

Tonight in Haiti many are praising God, considering things spoken of about the end times, considering the condition of their own soul.
Our family is well.
We have mobilized a visiting medical team from Chicago to work at a local hospital. They will be much needed there tonight.
Tremmors continue. There has been much destruction.
Please pray for Haiti tonight.

MTM HAITI OFFICE UPDATE

NEW AT MOUNTAIN TOP MINISTRIES:

"Blue" was purchased with donations given by the Terre Haute Triathalon Association and several individuals. "She" will assist the existing dump truck as we continue construction of the Gramothe Hospital.

Thank you for your giving!

PROSTESIS DONATION TO HELPING HANDS OF HAITI:

These prostesis and other parts were donated and brought to MTM by team members. We have been able to donate them to Helping Hands Of Haiti, an organization that assists with providing prostesis to those in need. The legs will most likely be dissassemble and used to provide a full fitting prostesis for someone in need.
Thank you for your giving so that others may walk!

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AT GRAMOTHE & DUMAY SCHOOLS:

Johanne was busy last week gathering up, sorting through & wrapping gifts for preschoolers at the Gramothe & Dumay schools. These goodies (candies, stuffed animals & miscellaneous toys) were brought & left by team members over the past months. Underwear & socks were also donated for the cause.
Thank you for your giving so that others (about 220 preschool students & 10 teachers!) may recieve!