The very first full day in country, the group heard a rumble and the ground shook.
“After that we thought, this is why we don’t have a plan because this is what we came here to do,” Carmichael said. “We all felt that God placed us exactly where we needed to be.”
She said the Haitians had never experienced an earthquake before, so even in St. Louis, people were “scared to death” and there was “mass panic” in the area.
Not being able to communicate and find out if family members were OK was perhaps the most difficult situation.
“It’s one of those things I can’t put into words,” Carmichael said. “It was just the look on their faces.”
But through tragedy and despair, their were many inspiring stories of strength.
Take, for example, the story of Fordieu Francois and Jocelyn Benoit, friends of Carmichael’s attending college in Port-au-Prince. Last Tuesday, they had both attended classes at the university but were not inside the building when the earthquake hit, she said.
Francois was asleep in his third-floor apartment and was awakened by the violent shaking. He had just enough time to run out of the apartment before the back half of the building collapsed, Carmichael said.
Benoit had just finished classes and was returning home. Francois immediately headed toward the university to find Benoit where he found his brother's girlfriend who had jumped three stories out of the university as it was collapsing.
“She did not suffer any injuries that he could tell,” Carmichael said. “He escorted her home and then began searching for Jocelyn.”
Hopeless and unsure of where else to go, he returned to his damaged apartment.
“Through God's grace, Jocelyn had done the same,” she said. “They were now together.”
The boys spent the night on the streets of Port-au-Prince in the dark and surrounded by many many other Haitians. They were praying and singing the entire night.
Francois related to Carmichael that everywhere he walked he had to step over dead bodies. He also said that he could hear crying babies inside buildings, but no one could get to them.
When morning came, they decided to leave the city and were able to make it to St. Louis and the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.
“But 24 hours after the earthquake, God placed it on their hearts to help their people. They decided to return to Port-au-Prince and help gather up orphans left in the streets,” she said. “These men are examples of the wonderful Haitian people and the resiliency of their people.”
Another story came from Jacmel, Haiti, about 20 miles from Port-au-Prince. The people there harvested their entire crop and carried it by foot over mountainous terrain to deliver it to those suffering in Port-au-Prince.
They sacrificed their entire livelihood to help survivors.
“It’s just a testament to the Haiti people and what they endure,” Carmichael said.
She said much of the country was still recovery and in the rebuilding process from a major hurricane two years ago.
Carmichael said she realizes the attention will soon shift away from the recent tragedy in Haiti, but she hopes prayers and support will continue.
“The Haiti people need our help and they’ll need our help for years to come,” she said. “Let’s not forget them.”
