Update From Haiti

January 18: I Awoke at 1:00 AM in Agony

Have you ever had a frightening nightmare? I had one last night. I awoke at 1:00 AM in agony. The nightmare was of children. I could hear small children crying, buried under tons of concrete…alone, frightened, thirsty, hungry…crying in the dark. In the nightmare, I was beneath the concrete with them, and was trying desperately to dig them out, feed them, and give them water to keep them alive.

I know this terrible dream was a result of the tragic and unspeakable horror that the mothers, fathers, and children are experiencing in Haiti. My heart is broken. I went through this during the earthquakes in Mexico City. When that happened, I was on the first plane to Mexico City. There was hardly anyone on the flight; everyone was trying to get out of the city.

While there, there were dozens of aftershocks. Mexico City looked as if an apocalyptic event had taken place. There were no lights; glass was everywhere; the streets had buckled and bulged due to the earthquake. The stench of death was so strong I had to wear gauze over my nose and mouth.

I volunteered, and with my own hands and a shovel, dug little ones out of the rubble. We gave blankets, medicine and food to help the suffering. I have seen firsthand what these people are suffering.

When I awoke from the terrible dream, all I could do was intercede for them. I thought of my own four children and six grandchildren and how I would feel if it had been them in the rubble. The thought of one of them buried alive is absolutely beyond comprehension. I would do anything to save one of them….absolutely anything

I am certain you feel as I do. The thing that is so burdening me is that these precious people are a part of the family of God. He died for them; He loves them just as much as he loves you and me. I have made up my mind that I must go to Haiti, but I cannot go empty-handed. I must have the resources to help these precious people.

I thank God for the 150 Jerusalem Prayer Team members who have responded to this urgent crisis, but we need 2,500 members to respond before I leave for Haiti so we can help these dear, suffering people. I am asking you to light a candle with me today, and be the voice, the light, and the hands of the Savior to those in the darkness.

As I prayed over this letter, the Lord spoke to me from Isaiah 60:1-4. I know it is a Word for you right now: “Arise and shine, for the light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and the kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

In a shocking announcement, the Red Cross has said that as many one third of Haiti’s nine million people will need help in order to survive following last week’s devastating earthquake. The widespread destruction that killed tens of thousands has completely destroyed the already shaky infrastructure of the country.

Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere before the earthquake. Now with the loss of so many lives and the weakening of the government through the damage in the capital city, the situation is much worse. Even as survivors are still being pulled from the rubble, the threat to the population is growing.

Diseases like cholera and malaria are greatly feared, because so many bodies have still not been buried. And without clean water and food, many more will die in the days ahead. That is why the Jerusalem Prayer Team has made a major commitment to help Haiti.

God has instructed me to go to the members of the Jerusalem Prayer Team and lay this challenge before you. Though this is not our normal mission, the human tragedy is so vast. We cannot be like the priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan who avoided the man in need instead of helping him.

We must act now. Every believer has a duty to reach out in Christian love to those in need. This is not a moment for hesitation, division or debate; this is a moment for action!

I am asking you today to join me in sending a sacrificial gift to help the people of Haiti in this hour of urgent need. Your generous donation will allow us to respond directly to the most pressing needs through a Christian ministry with more than thirty years' experience serving in Haiti.

The government of Haiti cannot care for all of these needs, and response from the international community is still trying to ramp up. Acting together, we can start meeting these needs immediately. We will continue blessing Israel today, but let’s not forget the children at risk of dying from lack of food and water.

The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that to love our neighbors as God commands, we must meet their needs. This is our moment to show God’s love to the people of Haiti. They need to know that Christians in America and other nations love them—and they need to see that love in action.

Please be as generous as you can when you give. The need is great, and time is critical. I need to hear from you today.

Your Ambassador to Jerusalem…and Haiti,

Dr. Michael Evans