Dear friends of Christianville:

 

             Hello. My name is Ron Hartman, and I am a short-term missionary that was going to be leading a team to Christianville on January 23^rd. I am writing you with a heavy heart. I’m sure that by now you all have heard of the horrific damage from the earthquake in Haiti, and perhaps you have been following the updates on the Christianville website (http://www.christianvillehaiti.org). While the scope of this disaster is truly heartbreaking, there are also blessings that can be found at Christianville. 

 

It is a blessing that the quake happened so late in the day, when the schools and clinics were already closed. Thankfully most of the buildings were empty when they collapsed. It is a blessing that the missionaries were unharmed so that they can continue to minister to the Haitian people, and it is a blessing that while some of the Haitian staff at Christianville were injured, there was only one death. It is also a blessing that most of the churches that Christianville started survived. I spoke with Doug Reichley, the guesthouse coordinator, last weekend and he said that to the best of his knowledge all of the satellite churches remain standing, though some have sustained damage. God is watching over and protecting His people in Haiti, even in this, their darkest of times.

As most of you probably know, Christianville has been in Haiti for thirty years, and the buildings that comprise the compound have been added over the years as funds were available. To have nearly all of them either destroyed or so damaged as to be unusable is a disaster that is nearly incomprehensible. The preliminary estimate for clean-up and rebuilding is around $1.5 million, and of course the humanitarian need of the local Haitian people is beyond telling. 

 

So I am reaching out to you, the friends of Christianville. You have been in the compound and have seen God’s greatness as he works in the hearts of the Haitian people. You understand how important Christianville is, and how vital it is that the missionaries continue their ministry to their neighbors. Please donate funds to Christianville to help with this unprecedented disaster, to help Christianville rise from the ashes and continue to spread God’s word.

 

Tax-deductible donations can be made to Christianville Foundation, Inc, attention Ross Cowen, Treasurer at the address below. If you were as moved by your time in Haiti as I was, please help us build the new Christianville for the everlasting glory of God.

 

Christianville Foundation, Inc

Attn: Ross Cowen, Treasurer

PO Box 24598

Jacksonville, FL 32241

                                                                                                                                       In His name,

 

                                                                                                                                       Ron Hartman, PharmD, RPh