Haiti Earthquake -- One Year Later
by Staff
January 17, 2011
HAITI, (christiansunite.com) -- One year ago this week, the country of Haiti was struck by a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Hundreds of thousands were estimated killed or injured and more than a million left homeless.Despite massive tent camps, rampant cholera and civil unrest, there are seeds of hope being planted by The Fuller Center for Housing.
Fifteen families have been able to move out of the tent camps, away from disease and destruction, into simple decent solid homes. Their homes were built from the ground up with the help of donations and volunteer labor through The Fuller Center for Housing, a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing worldwide.
"It's been devastating to see the suffering and destruction. But I feel great joy that we've been able to help these families and plans are underway to help many more families in the future," says Heather Nozea who's been on the ground in Haiti with her husband Gerson helping build homes with The Fuller Center.
Out of the fifteen homes built by The Fuller Center, nine have been built in Leogane, four in Saint Ard, and another two in Bellanton. The homes have been built using techniques to ensure that they are earthquake- and hurricane-resistant.
"All too often we have seen how temporary housing becomes the slums of the future. Our focus is to provide permanent housing solutions," says Fuller Center president David Snell.
The Fuller Center is collaborating with numerous organizations including Homes from the Heart, Fe y Alegria Haiti, Baptist World Alliance, Lott Carey, Grace International, Growing Hope for Haiti, Sundouloi Ministries, Inc. and the University of Notre Dame.
In addition, the Haiti Housing Network -- a partnership of The Fuller Center, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Conscience International, and the Baptist General Convention of Texas -- plans to construct 1,000 houses in the next three years.
The Fuller Center is actively looking for individuals, churches, and others to sponsor houses. They are also inviting work teams from the U.S. to lend helping hands. So far, eight teams are lined up to travel to Haiti in 2011 to help build.
