Sammy - Saved for a Purpose in Haiti

Sammy was on the top floor of his university when it collapsed - completely. He felt a terrible trembling and watched the neighboring building crash to the ground. He can't remember how he got to the bottom and out onto the street.

As he walked along, he got a phone call from a foreign number. The voice on the line said, "God has spared your life for a purpose and never forget that." To this day, Sammy is not sure who called him. But he realizes that that is not the important thing - what is important is that he knows that God spared his life for a purpose.

First Summary of Losses to our partners
CrossWorld partners with the UEBH (an association of Haitian churches), with a national seminary (STEP) and other institutions. These are our friends and colleagues. A preliminary report of losses was released this week:

• UEBH church members - 76 died; 32 injured
• Members homes damaged or destroyed - 428
• College Maranatha - 3 died; 11 injured; 27 homes destroyed; 41 houses damaged
• Printshop - structural damage; 2 died
• Seminary (STEP) - 1 building destroyed; 6 houses destroyed; 14 houses damaged; 1 died
• UEBH Headquarters - destroyed

Thanks to your help, this is what we have accomplished

• Deployed 4 first responders to Haiti and established a plan, now in place for next wave
• Purchased and distributed supplies for 4000+ displaced persons (IDPs) on seminary campus
• Facilitated Samaritan's Purse installation of water purification system
• Facilitated three teams of medical professionals to three locations
• Set up structures for IDP camp of 4000+ people: sanitation, security, shelter
• Coordinated incoming supplies from north Haiti and Dominican Republic
• Provided a truck and a generator for electricity
• Recruited an experienced trauma counseling team
• Improved communication systems
• Established liaison with other NGOs and Government networks at airport
• Contracted a professional crisis management group to assess needs and direct relief efforts
• Brought encouragement and spiritual life to scores of hurting people

You can give to CrossWorld's Haiti Disaster Relief Fund. Just Click here and share with those in need. - or give through the CrossWorld offices in Mississauga, Ontario, or Kansas City, MO.

Good News for American Donors: The House and Senate have passed a bill which permits Haiti relief gifts made between January 12 and Feb 28, 2010 to be deducted on the 2009 tax return. For more details, contact Bob Simrak, CrossWorld Director of Advancement, by clicking here.

Good News for Canadian Donors: The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will match any donation made by a Canadian individual - to the Haiti relief earthquake efforts. The Gift must be made to a registered Canadian charity like CrossWorld Canada, and given before Feb 12, 2010. Maximum gift per donor is $100,000.

To read news from prior days, click on News at the top of the page.