Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Team departing for Haiti ...

Family and Friends,

I have a unique opportunity to be a part of small team of 3 to travel
down to Haiti to assess how our church (the OPC) can serve in the wake of
the earthquake. I will be traveling with our missionary to Haiti, Ben
Hopp, and my brother-in-law, Dr. Gordy Zubrod. We hope to fly in on
Friday, Jan 29th, and return 1 week later.

Our primary purpose will be to assess the needs of the people on the
island of Lagonav where the OPC is primarily working. While there was
not extensive damage from the earthquake on Lagonav, many of the refugees
from Port-Au-Prince have fled there and they may be getting low on
supplies due to PAP being the main supply center.

Please pray for us for safety, health and wisdom and that we might be
able to come back with a good assessment as to how the OPC can move
forward in bringing a cup of cold water in the name of Christ to this
devastated country. Pray also for Faith as she maintains the home-front
in my absence.

Thank you in advance!

David

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Update on Pastor Babcock: released from hospital ...

Pastor Babcock has been released from the Flagstaff hospital today (Sat, 1/16/10) and is on his way home in Phoenix. As Elder John Waggoner reports, "He looks good." Praise the Lord!

Prayer for Haiti; Hopps back in US ...

We arrived this afternoon (Saturday) back on US soil in Fort Pierce, FL. We had been working for two days trying to find a way out and to ensure we had confirmed seats on an airplane. Through your prayers and the very valiant efforts of various friends, we confirmed our seats on Missionary Flights International planes last night.

We were up at 5AM and left the house by 6:15. We loaded up four suitcases plus a bunch of food we wanted to leave at Charles Amicy's compound outside Cabaret. The compound there is housing people who have lost everything in Port-au-Prince, including members of his family. We drove down to Port and arrived at the domestic terminal with no problem. Traffic was very light and all around the airport was surprisingly quiet.

The first plane to arrive was a Hendricks Motorsports Saab 2000. It seat about 30 people. We confirmed ourselves on the manifest, loaded our bags including dog Thai. We are very grateful they were able to accommodate her in the cargo hold. We made a fuel stop on Grand Exuma island in the Bahamas and then on to Fort Pierce. In all the flight was 2 hours. Everything went so smoothly.

We want to say thank you again for your prayers. We know he was working on our behalf. On the one hand we are glad to be out safely and with so little drama. On the other hand we grieve for our Haitian brothers and sisters who are left behind to pick up the pieces. Even those who were spared physically have been devestated emotionally. We know that once again God is reminding all that only in the gospel of Jesus Christ can we have peace and healing.

Our family is now safe in the US. We are tired and spent. We are looking forward to being on contact with many of you and taking some time to rest. But we don't want you to stop praying. Continue to pray for the relief efforts. As we flew out of the airport you could see that a great effort is being made to bring the right supplies and people in. Pray for continued stability.

In case you were wondering, Steve Igo, OPC pastor from Michigan who was staying with us also made it out on the same flight. Though none of would have chosen having a visitor in Haiti through this time, we have been greatly blessed by the fellowship and help of Steve.

In the name of our great God and Savior,

Ben, Heather, Ethan, Emma and Elijah

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Update from Missionary Ben Hopp in Haiti, Thursday

Thursday, January 14, 2010
We just passed the 48 hours mark. It is hard to believe the earthquake happened 2 days ago already. Even being out here in Kaliko it feels a world removed from the pain and suffering of Port-au-Prince. The more we talk with people the more devastating the picture becomes. The Hotel Montana has collapsed. The Caribbean Market where we shopped many times is a pile of rubble.

On the other hand we hear more stories of miraculous escapes from the destruction. We are very happy to report that Pastor Octavius Delfils and his family are all safe. The two-story house they were renting collapsed around them. Only Octavius’ son Carlen sustained a serious injury to his hand. The doctors at Messailler here on a medical team were able to save it but he needs to come to the US for follow-up. Pray they would be able to find his passport in the rubble to enable his travel.

A number of you have been asking about other folks we know here in Haiti. Both our interpreter Max and Widline are safe. We have not heard another interpreter we often used named Mikenson. We are still trying to contact our good friend Josue in Port-au-Prince but have been unable to reach him.

Many people including missionary teams caught here when the quake hit are trying to get out the country. Communication is still very difficult and all you get from the embassies are recorded messages. This has made it very stressful for folks. Pray that the airport would be back to normal operation to allow commercial flights to resume.

We are now considering our own situation and what we should do. On the one hand we want to stay and help our Haitian brothers and sisters. The facts are that fuel is no longer available. Soon food and water will be in short supply. In Port-au-Prince it is very likely that the desperation from hunger and thirst will drive people to violence. It may not be safe by the weekend. Help is on the way but reports on the ground are that airplanes full of supplies are not being met by anyone who can be in charge of distribution. The United Nations is busy rescuing their own workers from the rubble of collapsed buildings. Pray the the rescue efforts would be stepped up so basic food and services can be provided.
Right now we are hoping to fly out on a Missionary Flights International flight tomorrow. If not tomorrow then on Saturday. Pastor Steve Igo who is here visiting with us will come along on the same flight. We would arrive into Fort Pierce in the afternoon and relocate in the Tampa, FL area for the time being. The hope is that things will stabilize over the next few weeks and Ben would be able to return to help. Pray that God would be gracious in this difficult transition for our family.

Finally, here are a few links with news articles, some featuring our own comments or friends. There is also a link to pictures we took yesterday in Port-au-Prince:

Pictures from Steve Igo and the Hopps
Weeping and waiting

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Update on Pastor Babcock ...

Here is the latest from Elder John Waggoner, Calvin Pres Church (OPC), Phoenix, updating us on Pastor Babcock.

*****

Michael is improving but slowly. The doctor was just in and is concerned about the following:

He is not getting up enough - he did get up twice yesterday but needs to do more.

He continues to struggle with breathing, He needs to cough but is resistant to doing so do to pain in his chest (can't blame him there!!).

He continues to have a temperature over 100 in the afternoons and evenings.

His appetite is not what the doctors think it should be - he ate half of a turkey sandwich while I was with him, not much.

The doctor has ordered several x-rays today - they are trying to determine why he is spiking a temperature when on abundant antibiotics.

Thanks to all who have visited. Please continue to pray for Michael's recovery process and strengthening!!

It looks like Michael's release will be Friday or Saturday at the earliest. So, anyone who was thinking about visiting this week would be safe if they
came before Friday. (Pastor Babcock is still in Flagstaff.)

Please pray for those in Haiti ...

This just came to me via Rollin Keller from OPC Pastor Steve Igo who is in Haiti with the Hopps. Please continue to pray much grace for all those who are attempting to help in the midst of so much destruction and loss of life. Pray for God-given words full of grace in light even as they seek to bring relief to so many without hope in this life or the next.

Need Your Prayers for Disaster Relief on Wednesday in Haiti
January 12, 2010 at 11:53pm

Dear Friends,

I am sad to say that the reports from Port-au-Prince get worse by the hour. On the positive side, all of our missionary friends and area pastors are reporting that they are unharmed - so far! Praise the Lord! But the stories they send by email about injury, death and destruction is almost overwhelming. One missionary couple watched their 3 story school building in Port-au-Prince collapse to the ground. Praise God it occurred at 4:53 PM when all the children were gone. Another missionary couple has many injured and dead lying in their front yard, while they try to get some sleep on the bottom floor of their home with neighbors and a visiting mission teams tonight. A mission team of American doctors and nurses who “happened” to be in Haiti this week are busy working with the sick and injured. I am 15 miles north of this devastation with missionaries Ben and Heather Hopp, and I can only imagine how sleepless and distressing the night in Port-au-Prince will be. We were on pins and needles, especially when after-shocks began to intensify between 8 and 9 PM in the evening. Were people shouting and panicking in Port-au-Prince when the earth rumbled yet again?

Some missionaries are stopping by our compound tomorrow morning at 6 AM to pick up missionary Ben Hopp and me to join their team of disaster relief workers. One of them was in Port-au-Prince during the earthquake, helped as many as he could during the daylight hours, and then made his way back north to our community in the dark. He was soot and dust covered when he knocked on Ben and Heather’s door for a ride home. Since UN workers are limited and government services are in disarray, it really appears that the first stage of relief will only come from civilian and faith-based workers. So God willing, here we come!

Please pray for the many civilians, church workers and people of faith who will clearly have their work cut out for them during the daylight hours tomorrow. In God’s providence, our church sent me with a team of disaster relief workers to New Orleans 5 years ago - 3 weeks after Hurricane Katrina. The church has also sent me on many disaster relief trips since then to Bay St. Louis, MS. That experience has taught me that God works powerfully among his people during times of disaster. No doubt, tomorrow we will dig people out of the debris and help transport people to places of help. But in the midst of the overwhelming physical work, the most important thing we will do for the people of Haiti is profoundly spiritual. We will pray with them. We will listen to their stories. We will weep when they weep, and rejoice when they rejoice. And we will urge every one we meet to lift up their eyes to the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Jesus Christ will be present with us tomorrow, and we fully expect him to make himself known among the people we serve in His name.

Thanking you in advance for your prayers,

Pastor Steve Igo
Cedar Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Hudsonville, MI USA

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Update on Hopps in Haiti after earthquake

Dear Friends,

I just copied this off of the Hopps’ blog, reporting they are OK. If you haven’t heard, a 7.0 quake hit Port-au-Prince a few hours ago. Please pray for the Hopps as there will be many problems and opportunities to minister as the tremors continue and the extent of damage and loss of life is tallied.

Mike Pasarilla

*****

The earthquake in Haiti about an hour ago did damage places south of us but here at Kaliko we only experience strong tremors. No damage to buildings or property.
Heather was at home on our deck. She said at first she thought a truck had an accident on the highway and was rolling down the hill towards the house. The tremors lasted about 20 seconds here. The kids and I were down in the pool at Kaliko. I stood up and had a hard time staying in one place. The kids did not freak out but the pool was like a wave pool, with water spilling out the sides. We are grateful to be OK. We are still experiencing some light aftershocks as I write this.

Do pray for folks in Port-au-Prince. There are reports of a hospital collapse and other buildings damaged. The cell phone networks are down here so we can’t contact friends in country.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Pray for Pastor Michael Babcock ...

Please pray for Pastor Michael Babcock (the Rev. Babcock serves Calvin Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Phoenix, AZ). He was enjoying the snow in Flagstaff with his family and was thrown from a sled. In a call to one of the elders at Calvin Pres, Pastor Babcock reported that he has broken his back and ruptured the disk at T12. He was, as of Wed, 1/6/10, in the Flagstaff Hospital at least for one night. His family and some church members are in a hotel there. They hope to fit a back brace on him today (1/7) and determine if surgery will be needed.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Answered Prayer for Team Uruguay ...

Dear all,

Thank you so much for your prayers for us this weekend. Our mini-crisis was wonderfully solved, no surprise to any of you who were praying. Our trip to the American embassy went well: the emergency passports should be ready at 2 PM! Our return trip plan is to fly out of Monte Video at 4 AM tomorrow morning. Therefore, today we´ll kill time in a dry place, then leave for the airport about 9 PM. We are well rested, soaked!! (it POURED as we were running to get passport photos¨:-) , and well fed, which is saying something for the men in this group!! And we are all greatly encouraged in the Lord. We are so looking forward to seeig you all.

Again, thanks for praying,

çhao

David Crum

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Update from and Urgent Prayer Request for Team Uruguay ...

Dear Praying Friends in the PSC and beyond,

Below is part of an update sent on Jan 1, 2010 from David Crum, our RHM who is currently leading (along with Jane) the Team Uruguay group from our Presbytery. The incident occurred on New Year's Eve. Please pray that the Crums and Jake Schroeder will be able to return as scheduled with the rest of the group. Perhaps the embassy can effect an emergency replacement or some sort of arrangement to permit the Crums and Jake to fly home and reenter the US. Pray this can all be done on a compressed time schedule.

We did have an unfortunate incident last night. While all 12 of us were in the Falk's back patio, welcoming the new year singing Scripture songs, someone broke into the Falks house through a window and stole Jane's purse. In it were 5 passports – the Crums and Jake Schroeder's. we were in the police station until 2 am, when the attending officer concluded; "Well, you have the honor of filing the 1st police report of 2010" :-). The Lord is good, all the time, and our fellowship in the Word and prayer was wonderful! Our only prayer request is that the Lord arrange all so that we can make our flight at 4 AM Tuesday morning; perhaps with temporary passports. Of course, everything is closed today so getting information is tough.

***
David and Jane also sent along the praise items from individual team members for us to join in thanksgiving and praise to God for his care and the spread of the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Dear Mike, Here are the praise contributions of individual team members. The Lord has blessed our work and kept us safe every day.

Ben: Praise to our almighty father for the opportunities we have to minister to the Falks and assist them in the progress of the gospel in the churches in Rivera.

Emily: Praise the Lord for the fresh memories of the children; that they were able to hide the Word in their hearts; praise for the cheerful service of Kristina and Henry Vega among the children.

Kathleen: Times of singing have been a blessing to the church here, to the Falks, and to our own team, as well as an opportunity to engage passersby.

Jacob: VBS was very successful! It doubled in size and by day 5 we had 55 kids in attendance. Many of the children were very attentive, memorizing several Bible verses and the books of the BIble from Genesis to Apocalipsis.

Jana: Thank God for all the opportunities we've had to share the Gospel with people in the plazas!

Geoff: I am thankful for the opportunity to meet, pray for and encourage the local leadership by helping with their preaching/teaching schedule. What a blessing to serve this uniquely bilingual church and community.

Adrian: Thank God for lavishing his grace on the lives of fellow team members and me and the sweet fellowship we've enjoyed together.

Jane: 55 kids in VBS heard the gospel!! Pray for the salvation of these little ones.

Dave: I praise God for the opportunity to get to know the dear saints here in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and to have a better grasp of the existing work in Uruguay.

Dave and Jane Crum for
TEAM URUGUAY