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Today we stop to reflect and celebrate the lives that survived; the responsive individuals, businesses, churches, organizations, and schools to whom we could never have launched the aid that we have; and our Lord that promised he would be with us when the world crumbles around us!
IMO has been very busy in the 12 months following the earthquake. We suffered great loss of life in friends, extended family members, staff, church members, and school children. We take this time to remember each of them and how we love them and are thankful for their years with us. Areas of ministry suffered great damage at our churches and schools. Our headquarters suffered structural damages, a security wall that collapsed, and damage to one of the storage buildings. We continue to have staff, members of our churches, and friends that are living in tents and tarps. The need is still great.
Planning, Connecting, Importing, Rebuilding all began immediately. Since January 12th HUNDREDS of IMO friends and family of supporters have joined efforts all across the US. Many that have never known about IMO, suddenly heard by word of mouth and join to help bring food, shelter, relief, medical supplies, generators, tools, building materials, water, gatorade, and much more to help the Haitian people.
IMO has shipped about 20 containers of relief into Haiti in the 11 months after the earthquake with building supplies, medicines, crutches, walkers, first aid supplies, tents, tarps, blankets, clothing, food, water, gatorade, canned goods, personal hygiene kits, generators, power tools, hammers, drills and much, much more. Immediate repairs were made to our headquarter buildings, security wall and buildings that had collapsed or had damage. Food was distributed to 17,000 families in tent cities. We estimate that this touch several hundred thousand people. We'll probably never know exactly how far they made the food go to feed each other. They were given water, rice, beans, and oil. Randy Webb and Steve Reford performed a miracle of miracles and brought a plain from Missouri / Arkansas to Port Au Prince with supplies in the immediate days following. Then went to the Dominican and purchased more food and sent it back. Medical personnel and first responders from Gateway Church came through the Dominican to help and stayed at the compound. Frankie Durham came through the Dominican and spent several months helping with vehicles and distribution of supplies to tent cities and wherever needed. Hundreds came and stayed at the compound because it was left standing. Even other missionaries came and stayed till the aftershocks subsided and their residences were safe.
We have completely rebuilt the churches at LeFevre and the Church at Cassis. Repairs have been made to 7 other churches and 8 other schools. We helped rebuild 25 homes. We gave building material and money to help with 85 more homes. 300 tents have been distributed. 2,500 tarps have been given out. Clothing, shoes, medicines, tools, blankets, block, tin, generators and cleaning supplies have been given out everywhere we could. Over $350,000 has been spent in purchasing food and distributed it through families at our churches and schools.
Groups were organized throughout many states getting supplies and money to our office and warehouse in West Virginia. Many spent hours out in the freezing weather trying to get what supplies we could. Local news stations were willing to help cover the events to help raise awareness. Pastor John conducted phone interviews with radio stations and tv stations to help get the word out about what was going on in Haiti and the urgency that was there.
We still need to rebuild La Pombre church, the stations Oriani (near Pineforest, Mare Dumez, Maingrette, the Boutin church and clinic needs repaired yet. We have needs to replace damaged walls at Blanchard I and Blanchard II churches. The roof on the church at Ferrier needs to be replaced as it caved in, due to material that was used from the local area in the north east of Haiti when we built it. We still have some homes that we need to get rebuilt. Thank all who contributed to IMO and helped us to reach out to the hurting here. There is still so much that needs to be done. We are not done.
There is much yet to be done. We could never have done this without each and everyone that helped in some way. We thank God still to this day for each of you and your part in helping with this extensive outreach. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts !!!
We hope you'll continue to stand with us and pray with us as we continue to help. God bless each and every one of you!!
Faithe Claxton
IMO Director of US Operations
304.548.7009
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