As Hurricane Matthew bears down on Haiti and Cuba tonight, I would like to ask all my followers for prayers or happy thoughts or whatever positive energy you would like to send for the people there, especially to those in Haiti. Matthew currently is a strong category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 mph with pressure dropped to 933 mb, indicating further strengthening is imminent.

This storm will prove to be catastrophic for Haiti. The country was hit by four tropical events in 2004, resulting in thousands of lives lost. In 2008, hundreds of lives were lost in a single storm. And this was all before the devastating earthquake six years ago, from which the country has yet to recover. Many people are still living in plastic tents, or rooms made of cinderblocks with tin roofs that will blow off in this storm. Mudslides are inevitable due to deforestation in the mountains. In some areas, up to three feet of rain is expected. This hurricane is going to absolutely devestate Haiti. These people have nowhere to escape to.

I also have a slightly more selfish reason for asking for the safety of the people there. My mother-in-law, a retired physical therapist, is currently in Haiti, providing PT services for those in need. This is her second trip to Haiti this year. The healthcare in Haiti, especially concerning treatment of those with special needs, is decades behind where it needs to be. The group she is with is located on the north side of the country, eight hours from Port-au-Prince. She has said they are expecting 3-5″ of rain and 70 mph winds overnight tonight into tomorrow.

But even once the hurricane has passed through, they have to get back to Port-au-Prince to fly home (around the time the hurricane will be hitting the US…). They may have to face mudslides covering the road. Several hours of the road is made up of only gravel, so who knows if that road won’t be washed away in the next day or so?

They are currently safe in a concrete structure where they will be riding out the storm. I’m hopeful they will be safe there. But please pray for the Haitian people who have nowhere to run to, who may very well perish in the flood waters or from the storm surge or in mudslides. This is a dire circumstance for the country. Only the mighty hand of the Lord Jesus can protect them now.

“Had this beautiful sunset from our clinic balcony in Haiti tonight. The next couple of days will be very different as Hurricane Matthew arrives. Please pray for the safety of everyone here in Haiti.”

?ribbonrx