Romain / Haiti Earthquake

Haiti Update - January 17th

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:01:14 CDT

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and we wish you a blessed 2012! We greet you in the name of the Lord, and we want to let you who support the Good Shepherd's Love ministry in Haiti know that we are doing fine and that the boys are also doing well.

* The orphanage buildings are up. We are still awaiting completion of the inside of the buildings, such as the bedroom walls, bathrooms, and kitchen.
* The school has been completely redone; the classrooms and bathrooms have been completed.
* If you remember, the church building was also severely damaged during the earthquake and was unusable. For a year, we had our services in a big top tent, but now we intend to complete the repairs to the church building (block construction), and will no longer need the tent. Please pray for successful completion of the church building (est. $9,000 USD). If you are able to help us with this project financially, your gift would be very much appreciated.

May the peace of Christ be with you during this new year.
Blessings,
Rev. Jean, Merese, Samuelle and the Boys

Haiti Update - March 8th

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:19:18 CDT

Thank you for your prayers. The shipping container was released!

The full container was emptied today at the new orphanage site. All the materials were inventoried, then construction started on one foundation first, followed by the other. The generator that was shipped in the container was made operational, and we were able to borrow another generator, so for each foundation, we had a generator that could be used to run power tools or to recharge the batteries for the cordless tools.
The metal building frame includes a baseplate throughout the perimeter of each foundation, and then the side pillars support the roof frame. By the end of the day, the framing for both foundations was put in place.

Photos are posted below. Enjoy!

Haiti Update - March 2nd

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:16:01 CDT

The container holding the prefabricated buildings that we shipped over has arrived in port in Port au Prince, but is being held by Customs. We need a letter from Haiti's minister of finance to release the container from the port this week. Our construction teams are scheduled to begin work next week, so it is vital that the container be released soon.

Please pray for God's intervention in this situation so that the orphanage buildings can be installed as planned.

Haiti Update - February 25th

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:53:16 CDT

The new orphanage buildings are near completion in Tabarre to be installed in the new orphanage property. This will permit the children at the orphanage to come out of their tents after 14 months of living in them, and move into two new modular metal buildings. The $90,000 was raised for these buildings and they have been shipped by container to Port Au Prince.

Haiti Update - July 28th (Part IV)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:10:29 CDT

Hard Hat Area--Church project!!!

The preliminary design for the repair of the church is complete. This is second priority after the orphanage. A team will be required to help clean and prepare the church for the repairs. Most of the materials for this repair may be purchased locally, but some will be required to be shipped.

Haiti Update - July 28th (Part III)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:05:14 CDT

Mr. Dan Mascione, an architect out of New Jersey, and John Andrews, a member of Praise Tabernacle Church and building contractor, are preparing the plans for the new orphanage, foundation, and plumbing designs. The new orphanage will be a "modular" building, and with adequate floor space and ventilation for the existing 56 orphan boys, but also provide expansion for up to 100 boys, as requested by Jean Romain. Jean reviewed and approved the preliminary orphanage plans last week.

Haiti Update - July 28th (Part II)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:52:12 CDT

There is still need for $170,000 to build the orphanage, residence,
and to repair the church building. This was noted in the June blog.
Please pray and see how can you help with re-building the different
facilities.

Haiti Update - July 28th (Part I)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:51:22 CDT

We have the new property!!!

As requested in June, there was a need for an immediate $30,000 to secure a new property to house a new orphanage and residence for Good Shepherd's Love Ministries. All rebuilt structures
will be single-story buildings, which require a larger or separate
property. The school will remain at the old property. This need was met
with the donations received, which allowed Jean Romain to secure the
property and transfer the papers by July 23rd. This is very good news.

Praise the Lord!

Haiti Update - June 21st

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:13:52 CDT

Pastor Jean Romain's ministry in Haiti has suffered great loss due to this year's earthquake. The orphanage, residence, and school have been lost. The church has also been damaged. The Romains have decided to rebuild and expand the orphanage in order to accommodate more children and fulfill a greater need. To do this, they will need to buy another property, which they have already located.

Haiti Update - April 29th

Tue, 25 May 2010 09:15:26 CDT

Thanks be to the saints of God and the Lord's hand, the container arrived safely in Haiti and was unloaded! Over Easter weekend a team went to Haiti to visit the Romains and the orphans. They say that pictures are worth a thousand words, so here are some that tell quite a story. The orphans now live in their own tent city. The rubble is what once was the orphanage and the Romain's house.

Haiti Update - Feb 22nd

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:57:50 CDT

1st Relief Shipment:

The container is to be shipped out from Covington, LA on Friday morning (February 26th). Our East Texas team will be transporting goods to Lousiana on Thursday. Many hours of volunteer work have already been given to the receiving, sorting, and packaging of the donated items for this first relief shipment.

Our biggest thanks to all who have helped!

Haiti Update - Feb 10th

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:11:47 CDT

This is an update from the shipping ministry "Hope for Others":

"With the help by Bill and Peg Pearson, who are American Missionaries in the Dominican Republic, we now have the non-profit number we need for crossing the Dominican Republic with the Haiti Relief shipping container #1.

The loading date has been moved out ONE WEEK, TO FEBRUARY 27TH.
There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that people are still collecting food items and infant formulas. The other reason is that we may be able to offload the container directly into Haiti. (This to be confirmed.)"

Also, in talking with Pastor Jean, they have the started the rebuilding of the wall so that when the container arrives, they will have a secure area in which to unload and protect the contents. They received a little food aid last week when some Marines brought them some rice.

Minimum shelter was also a great need prior to the rainy season. Today, Jean received 6 large, high quality Cabela's tents that sleep 10 people each. Praise the Lord!! Also with the tents were sleeping mats and bedding. Bob Ball, with Valley Harvest Church in Ohio, hand-carried the items into Haiti Tuesday, February 9th through the help of Missionary Flights International (www.missionaryflights.org) out of Florida.

Jean is in good spirits and they continue to see the Lord work not only in the meeting of needs, but more importantly, in lives being touched and impacted for the Kingdom of God. So far, there have been about 150 souls saved, and this is just in one small area of the city!

Looking ahead, Gary Chambers, Pastor with Church of the Living Waters in Tatum, TX, will be going to Haiti to determine what it will take to rebuild the orphanage. We will then be considering what we need to do in order to ship another container with food and more building materials. Gary is
hoping to co-ordinate his trip with the arrival of container #1.

Haiti Update - Jan 25th

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:58:23 CDT

More food and fuel shortages. Jean's water well is working, but needs
fuel to run the pump. Jean thanks everyone for their continued prayers.

Haiti Update - Jan 20th

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:36:59 CDT

Pastor Jean stated that they have been experiencing revival since last Sunday, with services being held every night. There have been around eighty decisions for Christ so far!

Please continue to pray for the church as witnesses for Christ in Port-au-Prince.

Haiti Update - Jan 17th

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:13:55 CDT

On Sunday, the church gathered in a large open area and had services in the morning and also in the afternoon. A large group gathered, and many are seeking the Lord. They had twenty people make decisions for Christ!

More food and fuel shortages. Jean's water well is working, but he needs
fuel to run the pump. Jean thanks everyone for their continued prayers.

Haiti Update - Jan 15th

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:04:55 CDT

Murrey Rabenhorst received a call from Jean Romain Thursday night. It is confirmed that Jean, Merese, and Samuelle are not injured. Praise God! Of the orphans, six had injuries, with one of them more serious. The six boys were taken to the United Nations (UN) compound and were treated. Now all of them have been released.

After a wave of aftershocks, it is confirmed that Jean's house, orphanage, and school finally collapsed. Jean and his household, and orphans, are in the yard of the orphanage/school property compound with no shelter at this moment. They cannot get into the residence, or live in any part of the remaining structures.

As of Thursday, food and water were scarce, and what is available is very expensive, Jean says. If these basic necessities are not available in the next day or so, the situation will worsen dramatically in his suburb of Tabarre, next to Port-au-Prince. Jean has a water well, driven by an electric motor, and the well is still functional. With no electricity, he is using a generator with very little gasoline available. Jean will be looking for food and gasoline today.

The church building about a mile from his house has also collapsed, and Jean says there isn't a way to even get into the church building. Out of all of his congregation, there is for now only one lady who is unnacounted for and missing, which is a miracle.

Of the situation on the ground, Jean says that it is precarious and dangerous. Roads are closed and debris is everywhere. Jean's estimate is 100,000 dead and many more injured. The hospitals are refusing treatment to the injured for lack of space and resources, Jean says. Jean thanks all who are praying.

P.S. With the need to purchase food, gasoline, and other supplies, Jean needs immediate financial aid and stated he needs $2000.00 for just the immediate expenses. We are presently working the details to get funds there, and are receiving all financial donations possible.

Haiti Update - Jan 14th

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:45:28 CDT

Our contact has confirmed that in the Romain household, there are no fatalities, however some of the orphan boys are injured. Preliminary reports are that the orphanage residence (Jean's house) and the school have some damage but still standing. We are waiting for confirmation about whether the residence and school are liveable. The roads are blocked. The church has had some damage, but it is unconfirmed this time the extent of damage. There is no food or water. Jean has not provided word of any possible damage to the medical clinic in Thomazeau, outside of Port-au-Prince.

First News From Haiti

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:45:04 CDT

From the initial contact with family of the Romain's, we have learned that all are alive, although there have been some injuries reported from the orphanage due to the earthquake. The Romain's residence has experienced some structural damage, as well as the school.