Blankets for Haiti - An Update From the Team

EDIT - Apparently the link to TIME ministries link below is not working. Please go to www.timeministries.org if you would like to learn more about them. Thanks.

I just received an email from my friend, D, and I am sharing it below. It gives an update from the team she is a part of that will be going to Haiti in March and also an email that they just received from TIME ministries (the organization that they are working with for their trip). The email gives specific things to pray about if you are the praying type.

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Sarah,
Thank you for all you are doing. It seems very apparent that God's blessing is all over this.

Here is the latest from our team:
The ministry/ church that we are connected with the in Dominican Republic, TIME Ministries, is working to connect with a similar size ministry in Haiti. Noe, the organizer and friend of ours in the DR, has sent two former Haitians, currently DR citizens, to check out the situation in Port-au-Prince, check in with the pastors we have connections with and help define the needs we can fill. It is very certain that we will be helping smaller ministries that will otherwise be overlooked by larger organizations. TIME feels that because of the wide-spread political corruption in Haiti, that a lot of the money will never reach the Haitian people. It makes what we are trying to do more real since we have direct connections with the church and it's people in Haiti. It occurs to me that I might not have told you that I have had connections with this church in the DR for over 10 years now. Their heart and ministry is very real and true. Here is what we have just heard from TIME:

Dear Friends,
We know that the Christian community in the US and, as well, around the world are shocked and grieved at the terrible devastation in Haiti as a result of the recent earthquake. The staff of TIME DR along with the IBQ church is especially affected due to the proximity to Haiti. The pictures and details from Haiti fill the news non-stop and are horrific, probably more here because of proximity and many relationships of family and friends. The young man outside my room right now who is working on the TIME house has two sisters in Haiti but cannot get in contact. He waits to hear if they have survived and in what condition.

TIME and IBQ want to help, but as yet they cannot communicate with the Haitian friends. Their plans are to wait until they can talk to them and then take aid directly to their Christian brothers in need. They say that because of corruption, most of the aid will never reach the poorest. So they plan to begin their outreach in 2-4 weeks, after world attention has moved on to the next crisis and the average Haitian is forgotten. Then they will begin their targeted ministry to Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ. Wise to the ways of the world and the difficult lives of the poor, are these Dominican Christians.

TIME will work with the Dominican church and will facilitate these ministries. Contributions should be sent to TIME Ministries, Attention Haiti Relief. If there are individuals or churches who are interested in helping through mission trips, we have contacts on the border of Haiti (a chapel was built there last year). In addition the prediction is that Haitian refugees will begin flooding the Dominican Republic, quickly overwhelming their resources.

We must work, for the night is coming. Please pray and give as God directs.

Dorretta Brown
Time Ministries Founder
Vice-President of Development

Please continue to pray for our two 'scouts' in Haiti that they return safely. The boarders might be hard for them to navigate due to the large number of people seeking refuge in the DR. Also, I am passing along a blog site that will give you a real picture of what is going on in Haiti. http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com These people are missionaries in Haiti and people that are on our hearts to help out. Their blog makes the tragedy more tangibly and real. It also gives us real prayers to pray for real people in a tragedy that seems so huge. Here is a recent prayer from their blog that would be good for us all to echo.

Lord -
We need you. Help the people of Haiti. Help them see pieces of hope in this nightmare. Help us connect with people on a personal level. Help us know what it is they need from you today and guide each person on this island that is attempting to be love today. Amen.
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I will continue to give updates from the team as I receive them. Please keep them in your prayers! Thanks again for all your help!