REMEMBERING THE LOST

The earthquake happened on a Tuesday, January 12, and it was not until Thursday night that I was able to speak with my children back in the United States. When my daughter Kate (age 9) got on the phone, I said, “Hi Kate, this is Daddy calling from Haiti.” Her immediate response was, “Is Gloria alive?” Gloria is her sponsored child. I began to cry. Kate knew what really mattered. I know for you, if you sponsor a child, you shared the same feelings of concern. The phones rang continually at our office and emails rushed in–as so many of you had the same question and concern for your sponsored child.

This is the hardest message for me to write. We have family members who died as a result of the earthquake. They are eight students of New Missions and one of our school teachers. Personally, I know the ministry of New Missions and the love of Jesus touched their lives. This tragedy hit close to home for my wife Sheryl and me. We were in Haiti when the earthquake happened. However, little did we know that Nadege Bertrand died in the earthquake. She was a graduate of New Missions, a teacher at our Bordmer elementary school for the kindergarten class, and my wife was sending her to nursing school. She died in the nursing school when it collapsed in Leogane. We wept when we heard the news. She was a role model to many, and a shining example of how God can change a life. To each of the child sponsors who lost their child during the earthquake, my prayers are with you. I know they felt your prayers, love, and support over the years. You were the one used of God to touch this life and they heard the story of Jesus at school and church.

We remember these who died as a result of the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake:

• Olgens Edouard, age 6, from our Sigueneau church and school.
• Edson Elisma, age 18, from our Brache church and school.
• Manoucheka Calixte, age 20, from our Ambas-Pere church and school.
• Duroucher Mickerlange, age 6, from our Signeau church and school.
• Presumay Lovelie, age 12, from our Marechal church and school.
• Sainthilus Leane, age 4, from our Brache-Gilles church and school.
• Masse Kerrytoine, age 7, from our Brache-Gilles church and school.
• Malise Valliere, age 20, from our Ambas-Pere church and school.
• Nadege Bertrand, kindergarten teacher at our Bordmer elementary school.

May we continue to pray for the children and families we serve in Haiti.

~Timothy DeTellis

Nadge Bertrand from our Bordmer school and church