Update 1/18/10 1:51pm
With profound sadness, Free Methodist World Missions reports Rev. Jeanne Acheson-Munos, Merle West, and Gene Defour, the three missionaries who have been unaccounted for, have not been located and are now presumed to not be alive. These three individuals gave their lives in service to the Haitian people whom they loved deeply.
Please check out the following website for more details as well as an excert from their memorial service in Haiti.
Please check our events page for information regarding Merle West's Memorial Service in Clio, Michigan.
Update 1/16/10 5:09pm
There have been two new posts by Dave Roller at his Blog. One has been a video. Please watch! The link is posted below.
Update 1/14/10 3:46pm
We've recieved word that Katie Zook and Jack Munos are being transported to the Miam/Ft Lauderdale Hospital to receive further care. At this point I am no longer recieving frequent updates. Our main contact is through David Roller. Below is a link to his blog where he is posting updates. I will continue to post any updates I receive here as well.
If you are looking for friends or family members, at this point we do not have any steady contact in Haiti. The communication lines are still very limited. I am however putting together a list of all those who are waiting to hear about someone, together and as soon as we have the ability to really communicate consitently that list will be given to the proper people in Haiti. If you are looking for a loved one feel free to email me their info and I will add your name to the list. We understand the heartache involved with not knowing. Prayers are going out for you. Please understand that in situations like this it make take days, weeks, even months in some situations to get accurate information about someones whereabouts. We will do all we can. May God be with you.
At this point I have recieved no new updates. I will try to keep everyone posted
An update 1/13/10 7:27pm
Erlin's wife and son are ok.
It is with great sadness that I write this newest update. Erlin (Allen) was found recently, but he did not survive the earthquake. Erlin was a watchman for FOHO. He was a Haitian and a very dear friend of mine. He lived at FOHO with his wife, son, and baby on the way. We are still waiting to hear about Jeanne, Gene, and Merle. I will post as i hear.
-Stacylyn
As far as we have heard it looks like Katie Zook and Jack Munos have been evacuated and are at Guantanamo Bay.
I'm copying a letter sent from Dan Synder
We are writing with tragic news.
The new FOHO building collapsed totally. Jeanne Munos, Merle West and his friend Gene who arrived today are all unaccounted for. Erlin who works at FOHO is also unaccounted for. We are not able to do anything more but are trying to get assistance to return to keep looking for them..
Katie Zook was pulled out of the basement after several hours of searching and seems to be ok. She is at the UN hospital with probable pulmonary contusions and possible back injury. Jack Munos was pulled out after 6 hours and probably has a broken hand, broken foot, possible fractured leg. We brought him to the Embassy as the UN refused to let me in with further injured. He is being treated and stabilized here. I am hoping to medivac both of them out in the a.m. The embassy is being exceedingly helpful and it may be we will have marine medivacs available. I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO START THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR A MEDIVAC USING OUR EVACUATION IMG INSURANCE PROGRAM. I WILL CONTINUE TO SEE IF PAP AIRPORT WILL BE OPEN IN THE A.M. I WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE IF THE EMBASSY WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THIS.
All of the Clear Blue team are safe. They had left for Gonaives and returned and are helping still with clearing rubble at FOHO.
Both the U.N. and the Embassy are telling me that they expect civil disorder to erupt. DD and I walked from Vivey Michel to FOHO and there are buildings down everywhere. Phones are out and we will only be able to communicate as the embassy lets us use their system.WE WILL CHECK THE EMAIL AT LEAST IN THE A.M.
Dan, Dee Ann, James Snyder are not injured.
Russ Cole sustained a laceration to his leg but other than that he and Sherri are OK.
Dan Snyder
and here is a letter from Dave Roller
We join with the whole world in grieving this tragic earthquake in Haiti. Our hearts and minds cannot imagine the level of devastation and we fear that the news of the next few days will compound our grief. I write on behalf of Dr. Art Brown and FMWM, as well as the Board of Bishops.
Yvonne and I left Haiti just 48 hours before the earthquake. All last week we celebrated a wonderful annual conference with the Haitian church. The Free Methodist Haitian Church is vibrant and strong, numbering some 15,000 members and our hearts break with yours in this time of loss.
We do not have any good information yet from the Haitian church leaders as to the level of destruction of churches and International Child Care Ministry schools, nor regarding the loss of life. We are working to open lines of communication with Haitian FM leaders, but have so far been unsuccessful. As soon as we can, some of us will go to assess how we might best respond to the needs. I am confident that the worldwide Free Methodist Church will again show itself to be a generous and faithful partner with our Haitian brothers and sisters.
There were 17 North American FM missionaries in Haiti at the time of the earthquake and unfortunately Jeanne Acheson-Munos, Merle West and Gene Dufor are still unaccounted for. We believe they may have been in the multi-story FM work-team building in Port-au-Prince. That building collapsed in this seismic event and we have grave concern for those three. We call the church to pray for them.
Another two of the 17 missionaries sustained injuries and are being med-evac'ed out of Haiti. We are hopeful, praying and expecting a rapid recovery for these two. The rest of the 17 are well, although not without minor injuries.
Free Methodist World Missions is proceeding with a plan to extract its non-essential missionary personnel from Haiti. We of course want to be available to the Haitian church for assistance but recognize that, to some degree, they could be a burden on the National church at this point.
We appreciate the many volunteers who have stepped forward offering to help in Haiti. However at this time, sending more people to Haiti would be non productive and would only complicate matters for those on the ground. We ask that no one travel to Haiti unless FMWM calls upon you as part of the response team.
We do know that our brothers and sisters in Haiti will have immediate and long-term financial needs. You may respond by giving to either Operation Hope or the Bishops Famine and Relief Fund at P.O. Box 535002, Indianapolis, IN 46253-5002. Both funds have already released money for Haiti. An on-line giving option will be announced soon.
Again, thank you for your solidarity with the Haitian church. Your prayers and love are extremely meaningful to them and to us in these days.
We will send updates as information becomes available.
-- Bishop David Roller
A massive Earthquake has hit Haiti. Please be in Prayer!
The most recently built FOHO building has collapsed. We have not heard yet about the old FOHO building or about the Bible School and other buildings on the complex.We have heard that Dan and Dee Dee Snyder and son are fine.
All the members of the Clear Blue Team are safe and ok.
Russ and Sherry Cole are ok as well.
Katie Zook and Jack Munos have been pulled from the FOHO wreckage and are being treated for injuries and are awaiting evacuation. As far as we've been told them seem to be injured but ok.
Still missing are Merle West, Jean (a friend that went with him), and Jeanne Munos.
PLEASE keep praying for those trying dig them out. We are also still missing Erlin (Allen), his wife Edwanie, and their son Vanderlin that lived in the FOHO Building. Jean Wuler is reported ok. I apologize for any spelling incorrections on names. I will continue to update as I receive information.