Tom and Trey arrived in the Dominican Republic yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. They traveled to Jimani, which is near the Haitian border, to a hospital sponsored by The Jimani Project, one of HERO’s partners. They were unable to purchase the car batteries for the water filtration systems because yesterday was a national holiday. Today, they should be able to buy the batteries and cross the border into Haiti to begin setting up the systems.

We will update when we hear more! Thanks for your prayers and generous contributions.

To donate to SIFAT online, click here. Please follow the directions for designating contributions. You can also donate by check – 2944 County Road 113, Lineville, AL 36266.

Plans have changed so many times during the past few days as we plan how SIFAT is getting involved with the Haiti relief effort. We told you our first plan on Monday. We always tell mission teams to remember to be flexible – and flexibility has been key this week. However, God is opening doors for SIFAT to take water purifiers that will give clean water for up to 10,000 people per system per day.

Ten water purifiers are on a plane. They were supposed to get into the country yesterday, but didn’t. We hope they make it today. Tomorrow, our executive director Tom Corson and SIFAT graduate Trey Reed will fly commercially to the Dominican Republic and travel into Haiti.

SIFAT is partnering with several organizations to make this happen. To get an idea of some of what Tom and Trey will see and people with whom they may work, visit this blog.

Recent news articles about SIFAT and partnering organizations:

Blog from al.com with information about partnering ministries

The Randolph Leader’s article about SIFAT’s response

We have more news from some of our graduates and friends…

William Hatcher is back in the States. He and his team all made it home safely.

Pacius, a 1996 graduate, lives away from Port au Prince, but he has opened up is small home – 20’x20′ – to 30 people needing a place to stay. His daughter was in the city when the earthquake hit, but she was not hurt.

Anne, who was part of the 2009 field study, runs a school with 300 children and also works with a vanilla bean project for the community. She was in Haiti during the earthquake. In an email, she shares that every single person has lost someone or has someone missing. The pain, sadness and despair is overwhelming.

On Friday afternoon, our executive director Tom Corson and 2009 graduate Trey Reed were given an opportunity they couldn’t turn down – a chance to leave Thursday, Jan. 21 to travel to Haiti with a group of medical personnel and relief workers from HERO, Haiti Emergency Relief Organization, a nonprofit based in Huntsville. Air travel will not be a problem, because Remote Area Mission – RAM – will be providing a plane and pilot to take the volunteers and their supplies to the Dominican Republic. From there, they will travel across the border and into Haiti. HERO partners with the Jimani Project and Hunstville Haiti Congress, so they have a base camp from which to work.

Tom and Trey will be taking water purifiers from New Life International. These purifiers run from car batteries, which can be recharged using solar panels. The purification system uses electricity and table salt to chlorinate the water, making it safe to drink for up to 10,000 people each day. The systems last for several years, and Tom and Trey will train local people to maintain them.
An individual unit costs $1000. The recommended system costs $2500 and provides a larger capacity of clean drinking water. We need your help now! To donate to our effort to take purification systems to Haiti, please visit the donate page on our website or our cause on Facebook.  Email our accountant Claude, hurttc@sifat.org, to designate your online donation for Haiti. Checks can also be mailed to the SIFAT office, 2944 County Road 113, Lineville, AL 36266.

** As with any disaster relief effort, sometimes plans unexpectedly change. Tom and Trey’s travel is dependent on RAM and HERO at this time. We will keep you updated if the airports close. As of now, they will fly out on Thursday, Jan. 21 .

As most have been doing this week, our staff has watched the news and video footage of the devastation in Haiti. Checking Facebook and email to hear from SIFAT graduates and friends is the only way to communicate. Below is what we have been to find out so far. We will update as we receive word from others.

Roger Eason, who attended the May 2009 field study, was missing. You may have seen his story featured in the Birmingham News. He made it to the Dominican Republic and is okay.

William Hatcher, a friend of SIFAT and Practicum instructor, arrived in Haiti for a mission trip the day before the earthquake hit. His wife received a brief email from the US Embassy saying that he was okay. Please continue to pray for him and the other men on the mission team with him from Meridian, Miss.

Gabi, a 2009 Practicum graduate, is in Haiti with her parents, who are missionaries there. They live inland from the capital, but are still very much involved with what is happening. You can follow their blog for updates www.haffdetails.blogspot.com as they help with rescue/recovery efforts in Port-au-Prince and refugees to their community.

Joas, a 2006 Practicum graduate, emailed us that he and his family are okay. They were not directly hit by the earthquake, but everyone in his church has someone they know that is unaccounted for. He mentioned that he had to use someone’s private internet, as it is hard to find internet cafes.

UPDATE:

Lionel and Leon, 2007 graduates, are both in the United States. They are fine, but waiting to hear from their families. Lionel said he received word that everyone was okay, but wanted to be able to speak to his mom.

Mercideau and Samuel, 2009 graduates, survived. Mercideau was in the Port-au-prince area, but Samuel was further away. We aren’t sure about the status of their homes, but they and their families are alive.