It's only been four months, but Haiti has already been forgotten by the news media. Unfortunately, the needs abound in that nation struck by a devastating earthquake in January, leaving thousands dead and millions homeless. Emergency relief has given way to redevelopment, which includes rebuilding schools.
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Michigan-based Worldwide Christians Schools has been working with CRECH, a network of Christians schools in the country. Steve Guerink with WWCS just returned from Haiti on a fact-finding mission to see how they can help re-establish schools. He says while people have moved out of their homes because of the quake damage, "Just as they moved out of their homes, they've also moved out of their school buildings. There's tremendous fear that there will be another earthquake, and these structures will fall down on them."
All across Port-au-Prince, Guerink says, "You can walk into a school where you will see 20 different tarp locations where they have been teaching school since March 15."
Guerink says some of the school buildings are safe, but parents won't let their kids attend out of fear that the buildings will collapse. That's why temporary structures are being built. "It's something that looks like an oversized pole barn with a wood truss roof, with tin on it, which isn't the best substance for that climate because of the upcoming hurricanes. It's a structure that's temporary. It has no doors because people are afraid they can't get out of the buildings."
Source: Mission Network News
