The devastating earthquake in Haiti has left countless in peril. A local charity in Haymarket has been doing their part to enrich the lives of the children in the Kay Anj orphanage north of Port au Prince. This disaster is stretching their resources and the ability to have fresh water, even more than usual. They will use your donation to buy clean water while they are in Cap Haitien over the next several weeks. Click here to donate and learn about other legitimate charities >

Update from one of our members, Bill Harvey, on the ground in Haiti, from his wife Debbie.

Friday 1/15/10
"We’re sending this email to you to spread the awareness of the horrific devastation in Haiti. Bill and I have fallen in love with these beautiful people and their country. They are our family and we ache for them. I've spoken with Bill this morning. They are safely on the ground in the Dominican Republic and plan to leave by bus to Cap Haitien at noon.

We are thinking that there will be many injured, hungry, thirsty Haitians that will leave Port au Prince and head to Cap Haitien. Cap is the 2nd largest city (next to Pap) in Haiti. I sent Bill with money donated to our website, to buy 'bags' of water. In Haiti they have little 8 oz. bags of water that they bite a hole in and squirt the water into their mouths.

They sell boxes of these water bags. Bill and our team will buy boxes and hand them to the people that need the water. They will also buy peanut butter and loaves of bread and hand out to the hungry people. They have a heavy list of projects to complete in the next ten days, but that may all change when they get to Cap and assess the situation.

While HHA (helping Haitian Angels) is not a relief organization, we have 30 people (by Sunday) on the ground in Haiti that can directly help these devastated people. In disasters of this proportion, cash has extreme power and can help the people directly.

If you feel led to donate monetarily, visit Helping Haitian Angels website at www.helpinghaitianangels.org. You can get updates on the HHA team on our blog as well. http://helpinghaitianangels.org/index.php/angels-blog/.

Thank you all so much for any help you're able to provide. Debbie Harvey 703-298-3183 Helping Haitian Angels www.helpinghaitianangels.org

There are a few other organizations we can recommend as well, including: American Red Cross: Earthquake in Haiti: If you want to help those affected by the Haitian earthquake, the simplest way is to make a donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.

We are also receiving money through a third party mobile fundraising effort sponsored by Mobile Accord. Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. There are also donations sites set up by: World Vision Haiti Charity Relief (headquartered in Herndon) Feed the Children Haiti Earthquake Doctors Without Borders (medical assistance) Oxfam.org (water assistance)"

Saturday 1/16/10
Good morning everyone, I spoke with Bill this morning which is not easy as the reception is terrible. The satellite, internet, cell connection all comes from Port au Prince so it's very likely I won't talk to him like I have in the past when he's been in Haiti. The schools are all closed indefinitely. The banks are all closed because all banking communications come from Port au Prince.

The guys met a woman in the hotel last night that had come in from Africa to search for her huband. He was in Port au Prince and she has not been able to talk with him. Archibal is driving her to Port au Prince today (our guys gave her some money) to find her husband. Please pray for her. The airport has been taken over by the U.S. government which the Haitians are very happy about. Now it will be open for humanitarian efforts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bill learned this morning that ALL gas stations in Cap and Pap (Port au Prince) have no gas. There are people in trucks, cars, mopeds and people with containers at the gas stations trying to get gas. The gas also comes from Pap.

Lastly, what we thought would happen has begun to happen. Bill said there are buses bussing people in from Pap for water, food, medical care etc. Our pediatrician that examines our kids at Kay Anj (our orphanage) said that the hospital is seeing people coming in from Pap now. If any of you has any questions or concerns please email or call me. I know that good will come out of this. There is a reason that these beautiful God fearing people have been handed this devastating tragedy. They lived in abject poverty before the earthquake, now it's unimagineable. I think it's wonderful to see the world crying out as one, working as one. It takes times like these to wake us up to the true needs and work of the world – to love and care for one another. We all need to be praying that His light shines mightily as His people respond as well as His hand is seen throughout this devastation. -- Debbie

Sunday 1/17/10
Good Morning everyone, I'm waiting to hear from Bill this morning but thought I'd update on the little I know until I get more from him when he reaches me. The situation in PaP is acute and worsening-people are beginning to get even more desperate and frustrated. The leadership of the Government of the U.S. and its partner nations are "forming up" great things that will take shape in a week or so down the road, but they really need to quickly work through the current paralyzing logistical challenges.

Innovative and dramatic re-thinking of the inadequate "fly mostly into one airport, then organize and deliver a huge majority of critical aid into one central point and fan out from there strategy that is not reaching the majority of Haitians in time to avoid major conseuences and an unacceptable level of after-event mortality.

According to Bill, Cap Haitien is "ok". The people are mourning. They are quiet, somber. Almost everyone in Cap has relatives in Pap. The lack of gasoline appears to be the biggest challenge. Those stations that have gas are charging 4 times the cost per gallon that they charged on Monday (before the quake). A gallon today costs approx. $16. There are 30-40 cars in line for gas at these stations. they, too, will soon run out of gas for the people.

Doctors in Cap are communicating with Doctors in PaP and asking them to bring the non life threatening injured to Cap. Dr. Maklin, our pediatrician, has been at the hospital working round the clock on the people that have come up from PaP. We have gotten numerous calls from people all over the country that know that we have a team in Haiti. They're begging us to find their mothers, sisters, pastors etc. Please pray for them.

Our 2nd team arrived safely yesterday and our 3rd team is in the air as we speak. They will all be there by 3pm today. The entire of team of 32 will be there today. Bill and the guys dug holes yesterday for the playground. They're hoping t get the lumber from PaP today or tomorrow. They're uncertain if they're actually going to have the wood to build the play yard. Please pray that the lumber reaches them. Our team left with cash (the banks are closed so we can't wire money to them) to assist those that come up from PaP.

They have a long list of projects to complete but know that depending on how many people from PaP need their help, they may not complete their projects. They will go where they are most needed. I saw on CNN last night homeless, helpless, starving, dehydrated people singing and praising God. They were singing "God will be with us thru the tears...God will give us hope". The Haitian people love the Lord. They are a strong people, they will rise up and survive. They know that through this unspeakable tragedy there will be CHANGE. Only God can provide that change. Please continue to pray...for the people of PaP, the Haitian country, our team, that the food and water get's to the people, and that the people continue to see Gods hand in all of this. -- In Christ, Debbie

Sun 1/17/09 afternoon

Hello Everyone, We just got a text from our team.... The 3rd wave of our team of 32 made it to Cap Haitien, Haiti at 5pm this afternoon. They are volunteers from both Park Valley Church (Haymarket, Va) and Sudley United Methodist Church (Catharpin, VA).

This group flew in by way of Ft. Lauderdale to Cap Haitien. They now have joined the volunteers that got in on Friday and Saturday. The group of 32 is complete and ready to go to work! They have a list of projects to complete including two playgrounds, a solar panel at our Kay Anj orphanage, painting our sister church, Calvary Baptiste Church etc.. Those tasks will have to take a back seat if there are people bussed from Port au Prince to Cap Haitien for water, food, and medical care. They want to be where they’re most needed. Please continue to lift them up in prayer as they love on the Haitian people next week. -- Debbie

You can get updates on the HHA team on our blog as well. http://helpinghaitianangels.org/index.php/angels-blog/.

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