Canada's disaster response team in Haiti will focus its aid efforts for the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean country on the port town of Jacmel, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche says. Laroche, speaking from Port-au-Prince alongside Canada's ambassador to Haiti, Gilles Rivard, said the Disaster Assistance Response Team has been asked by the Haitian government to focus on the town that lies about 30 kilometres southwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince. Laroche said he travelled with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive to see the damage in the town of 40,000 — a popular tourist destination — and saw that the hospital was half destroyed by the quake. The road into Jacmel has been cut off from the rest of the country since last Tuesday's … (More)

Greetings! And thanks so much for all your prayers and support. Today we give thanks to God for His faithfulness and for the generosity of His people! Dan MacTeague, MP, is working tirelessly on behalf of the family in my Church, and making people aware they can help Haiti through AOJ - what a blessing he is! Safe Haven Worship Centre - my own Church, rallied so sacrificially yesterday with a special offering for Haiti - God bless the most wonderful people in the world. St. Paul's on-the-Hill Anglican Church also raised a special offering - what precious people they are! For years they have reached out through AOJ to the children of the world! The couple who called to their travel agent to see if they could cancel an upcoming … (More)

"Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone--especially to those in the family of faith." Gal. 6 v10 Perhaps this evening, my mind will ease in that we know our Director, his family, our staff and the children of Cap Rouge are safe! However the task before us is one of reaching out to the poor through the provision of life's basics, water, food, blankets, clothes and in the repair and hopefully the rebuilding of homes in Cap Rouge. As people all over the world respond in such generous ways, this letter is to our brothers and sisters in Christ, to Churches and those whose hearts have been touched and who desire to help! As a Mission, we do not have heavy administrative costs, we try to do what … (More)

Wilson Maitre, Director of AOJ Operations in Haiti, finally managed to make contact by cell phone. Despite widespread devastation in Jacmel, where the mission is headquartered, he reported that all of his family, mission staff and school students in Cap Rouge have survived the earthquake. However, many people have either lost their homes or they have been severely damaged. There is much work to do. Let us all pray that funds will become available to begin the long job of rebuilding. Let us also praise God for his great mercy. Wilson Maitre, Director of AOJ Operations in Haiti

WASHINGTON, January 13, 2010 (AFP) - The earthquake that devastated Haiti's capital also caused widespread destruction in the resort town of Jacmel, south of the capital, a witness said Wednesday. "It is a complete devastation here. Personally, I am lucky to be alive," said Emmet Murphy, head of the Haitian office of the US non-governmental organization ADCI/VOCA. Downtown Jacmel, Haiti - as it was before the quake "I was driving back to Jacmel in the mountains when the entire mountain seemed to fall down all around me. People were panicking, a building collapsed on the roadside and a huge dust plume raised from the valley floor. "Seconds later and I would have been crushed by an avalanche that blocked the road … (More)