Rays of Hope for Haiti delivers supplies to Matthew 25 House
The Matthew 25 House is located near Delmas 33 area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and was established to be a Guest House for people visiting Haiti on a mission’s trip or in the country for other humanitarian efforts.
Matthew 25 House is part of The Parish Twinning Programs of America that couples a Catholic church from the U.S. or Canada with a church in Haiti to help provide much needed support.
Before the earthquake the House could accommodate up to 33 guests and had staff to provide meals for those staying as well as assisting guest’s needs for transportation, interpreters, currency exchange and other services related to their visit.
Since the earthquake the staff of Matthew 25 House has taken on new responsibilities.
In a lot adjacent to the property over 1,000 displaced Haitians have set up make shift homes using sheets and anything else that they can find. Many of the people are injured and all of the people are hungry. Matthew 25 House has turned into a refugee camp and medical center.
Volunteer medical staff has been doing everything from performing complicated surgeries like amputations to treatment of cuts and illnesses.
Other staff members have been providing meals to the Haitians that have taken up residence there due to the loss of their homes.
On Sunday, January 31, 2010, Cristian Santiago, Director of The Lighthouse School in Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic, and partner of Rays of Hope for Haiti, loaded a big truck with food and a second truck with bottled water. The money for the food came from donations made to Rays of Hope for Haiti. Cristian was able to bring more than he expected because of a donation for more food from Unto, Inc. Along with many, many pounds of food, 8000 bottles were filled with purified water from the system at the school that was created thanks to donations mainly from the West Michigan area.
Domo, from Matthew 25 House, accompanied by two Haitian policemen met Cristian and the trucks at the Dominican Republic – Haiti border to assure the safety and delivery of the food and water.
When the trucks arrived they were greeted with a lot of excitement. The staff had been on their knees the last few days praying for more food and water supplies. Since the Matthew 25 House has been providing food, shelter, medical help and water for over 1,000 people every day since the earthquake, supplies were running low.
At Rays of Hope for Haiti we are humbled that God would use us in such a way, as an answer to prayer. More will be needed and there are many other places to help. We are currently working on getting tents and tarps to take the place of sheets and linens at Matthew 25 House. We also are working on sending bedding and food supplies to Visitation Hospital where Haitians are recovering after being treated on USNS Comfort.
You can make a donation to Rays of Hope for Haiti with a credit card at our website under the tab “Giving” or with cash or a check at any Mercantile
Bank location or by mail to Rays of Hope for Haiti, 946 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507.