For Haiti quake, churches offer support

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Jacson Celestin originally is from Haiti, but has been in West Michigan since 2003. He has only been able to contact about half of his family, and is waiting to hear from some of his siblings and his mother.

"Today I went to school, and I was sitting there, but my spirit was not really there," he said Wednesday. "I don't know how everybody is doing. So far, I cannot tell how everybody is doing yet. I cannot reach them yet."

Pastor Mathieu Pierre of Grand Rapids West International Church of the Nazarene hopes to touch people like Jacson.

"And this time, you know, many people are hurting," he said. "Many people are looking for an answer, and tonight, I would like to consecrate this time to bring the message of hope to the people."

An interfaith meeting was held to remember and support those in the midst of the Haiti earthquake crisis.

Celestin's sister, for example, is recovering from minor injuries.

"The house collapsed," he told 24 Hour News 8. "And then she fell from where she was. Then all the debris just fell on her."

Celestin hasn't heard from his mother since she went to visit his grandmother.

Many tears were shed in church, for pain and suffering thousands of miles away.

"The houses are built really close to each other," Celestin said. "People are pretty much crowded and life is very, very hard for these people."

Said Pierre: "We just need to seek comfort from God and look to him for help."

Several churches are collecting nonperishable goods.

Here are the items needed for emergency relief shipments to Haiti:
Food items (dry staples):

• Rice
• Beans
• Powdered milk
• Canned meat
• Peanut butter

Medical supplies:

• Any over-the-counter medication as long as it's within six months of expiration
• Bandages
• Ace wraps

Personal items:

• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Soap
• Wash cloths
• Towels
• Sheets
• Blankets

Items can be dropped off at the following locations:

• Trinity United Methodist Church -- Grand Rapids
• St. Paul the Apostle Parish -- Grand Rapids
• Holy Trinity Church -- Grand Rapids
• Sparta Fire Department
• Camp Bow Wow -- Kentwood
• Shaggy Pines Dog Park -- Ada
• English Hills Terrace -- on West River Drive
• Any Mercantile Bank location
• Rays of Hope for Haiti Warehouse -- 446 Grandville Ave., NW -- Loading dock No. 6 in GR

Financial donations also can be made directly to Rays of Hope for Haiti at any Mercantile Bank location, or to the Haiti Area Task Force of the United Methodist Church, 11 Fuller Ave. NE, in Grand Rapids.