We are grateful to report that the worst is past for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Much of the storm has now died down, and we are slowly hearing from pastors about the effect this hurricane had on their communities. We have heard back from some, but it has been difficult to get a hold of many others. One cell carrier is completely down, and the other major one is spotty at best right now. Below, I’ve included pastors we have heard from this afternoon after the storm, but keep in mind that we are still waiting to hear back from many more. We are only including pastors we have connected with directly in the updates and will continue to add more in the coming days. Pastor Jean Delcy (Granbouchi, near Les Cayes): This is a partnership we have been particularly concerned about due to its proximity to the ocean. We heard from Pastor soon after he was able reenter the community and we are sorry to report that the area is devastated. He reports that most of the trees are down, and those that are left standing have been stripped of their leaves. The church project that had begun this summer is badly damaged, as is the library. Most roofs in the community have been stripped away, and most of the electrical wires and poles have fallen. His house is made of concrete, so we think that fared well. He is spending his time this evening comforting the community. We praise God that there were no fatalities in Granbouchi, but we know that the road to recovery will be long and difficult. Pastor Joas (Les Cayes): Pastor Joas reported that many trees were down in his area, and though many of the streets are flooded, there are people wandering around this afternoon as the storm is lifting. The roof of the church is damaged, and the house of one of the families in his church was destroyed. They are now staying with him and his family at their house. There were thankfully no injuries in their church community, but they do have people close to them who were lost. He wanted to ask for prayers for continued protection, for the winds to stop, and for the waters to recede, but also wanted me to communicate that they are beyond grateful for the prayers and wanted to encourage us all to continue praying. Pastor Jacky (Cabaret): Pastor Jacky and his family are well, and even though their location exposes them to a risk for high winds, there is no damage recorded in his property or his community. Praise God! Pastor Valcourt (Mariani): We are still waiting to hear back more from Pastor Valcourt, but he was in touch with us earlier today to let us know that someone from his church had lost the roof to their house. His heart is burdened for his community and he has been very worried about everyone’s safety. Pastor Willa (Cap Haitien): Things are calm around Cap. It’s been raining, but thankfully, most of the severity of the storm avoided them. Pastor Romulus (Port Margot, near Cap Haitien): They also only got some rain and wind, and nothing severe. Pastor Elbarre, Pastor Jules, and Pastor Marius (Jacmel, Bassin Bleu, Cayes Jacmel): We spoke with Pastor Elbarre, who is good friends with Pastors Jules and Marius as well. He reported that things are alright in Jacmel. It is still raining hard and rather windy there, but they are safe and damage is minimal. He confirmed that the other pastors are doing well also. Pastor Abdon (Pignon): The areas in the central plateau near Pignon are doing well. It is currently raining lightly and there is no damage reported. Pastor had actually already called Pastors Jean Delcy and Marius in Les Cayes and Jacmel to find out how they were doing. We are so grateful that our pastors care for one another so well. As the storm continues to subside, we ask for your continued prayers on behalf of our Haiti partners. Also, we are beginning to see the magnitude of damage in some areas and are thinking forward to being prepared to meet the needs of these communities. Please prayerfully consider donating to relief efforts through our church partners - all initiatives and efforts will be determined, coordinated, and executed by our pastors and their congregations on the ground, so it would be filtering through trusted and vetted channels. There is a link at the top of the page if you feel led to give. Stay tuned for more updates and photos as we receive them from our friends. Thank you again for your support of and prayer for Haiti, and please continue to pray as Hurricane Matthew travels north to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Southeastern US.