 February 24, 2010: Hope Force Founder & President, Jack Minton, is back in Haiti this week conducting assessments for our ongoing efforts to bring much-needed medical attention to those who are suffering from January’s earthquake. This comes on the heels of the successful delivery of a vital piece of medical equipment – the autoclave will allow medical support staff to properly sterilize instruments to ensure a sanitary environment while specialized surgeries are underway. It was donated by Centennial Hospital in Nashville and took a joint US/Canadian military effort to get it to the hospital in Port-au-Prince. Les Barkley joins Jack for the current assessment trip, which includes a monitoring and evaluation segment in Leogane – the region served by our first mobile medical team in January. Les Barkley was an All-American water polo player at USC in the late 1970s and now co-owns an insurance business with his brother-in-law. An active HFI Reservist, Barkley refers to the book of Ephesians in the Bible for his guiding principles on sports, work and service to mankind, “"May He strengthen you inwardly through the working of his spirit; may charity be the root and foundation of your life."
 The Haitian relief efforts are at a key transition point for all organizations involved in helping the country’s efforts to rebuild. In conjunction with the international community, the Government of Haiti launched the Post Disaster Needs Assessment last week. This process will establish a framework for reconstruction as the country leaves behind the emergency relief status of the past six weeks and looks ahead to a future of long-term development. Further highlighting the pressing need for mobile medical teams, the UN reports that only a small portion of the capital city’s displaced population has returned to Port-au-Prince after fleeing the environments in the wake of the earthquake’s destruction. Known as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), hundreds of thousands of people are in temporary host communities with fragile support systems and limited access to essential services. More than 415 spontaneous “settlement sites” are currently in place for 550,000 people.
According to Hope Force Sr. Vice President, Cherie Minton, “It is hard to imagine or adequately describe the strain that such a mass migration of people has on a nation such as Haiti, whose infrastructure was considered inadequate even before the earthquake. Nearly 160,000 of these displaced people are on the border with the Dominican Republic. While these two nations share the same land-mass, the two experience a vast difference in quality of life, job opportunities and societal development. The severity of the earthquake’s impact on this island nation cannot be underestimated and has the potential to further strain the delicate balance between these two countries.”
The crisis in Haiti has piqued the interest and the hearts of millions of people. Hope Force is no exception to the outpouring of generosity in support of relief efforts along with hundreds of inquiries from around the world regarding how people can get involved “hands-on”. Our signature training series –HFI's Basic Training Intensive – has seen unprecedented levels of interest and involvement. Last weekend’s 3-day course hosted by Mariner's Church in Irvine, California, saw our largest gathering to date: almost 100 participants!
Shay LaBissoniere comments on the training, "Thank you Hope Force! Your 3-day Intensive Disaster Relief Training course has changed my life. I feel renewed, redeemed and reconciled to better serve God's kingdom. You echo His loving grace! You are all peace warriors through my eyes."
“The training really spoke volumes to me this weekend,” says Joey Beason. “I direct missions at our church and we are definitely feeling God's leading to organize a disaster response ministry at church. We've had a couple of our medical ministry folks go through the training with you previously and I'm glad I was finally able to take it. Your vision, heart and training are exactly what we are looking to partner with. I look forward to what God has planned for the future. I have already been in contact with your staff about making our church available for future training. Thanks again for all you are doing.”
Hope Force International is a Christian response to the need that surrounds us at home and abroad, reaching out to those who experience suffering and loss. As a leading non-profit organization dedicated to disaster response, HFI is comprised of individuals who are dedicated to utilizing their expertise to inspire, equip and empower thousands of volunteers to intervene in areas of crisis around the world.
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