By Message Staff
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – A Louisiana Baptist pastor stranded in Haiti as Hurricane Matthew slammed into the island on Tuesday is grateful for the outpouring of support and prayers he has received over the last two days.
Steven Smithson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winnfield, arrived in Haiti recently to participate in a mission trip with Hope Rising Children’s Home, but his plans were interrupted when the Matthew made landfall.
Unable to leave the country because his flight was delayed until a scheduled departure today, Oct. 5, Smithson prepared the best he could – registering with the U.S. Embassy, downloading area maps and stocking up on food so he could ride out the storm in his hotel room.
And, in the meantime, he prayed.
His wife, Stephanie, also posted on Facebook a request for prayer for his safety, along with the well-being of others directly in the path of the storm. Thousands of people from all over the U.S. and world were quick to respond.
Smithson posted on Facebook today, Oct. 5, a message of thanksgiving.
“I want to thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts over these past several days,” he said. “They have definitely been felt. I am still scheduled for a flight out later today.”
“I also want to say I believe now, more than I did prior to Sunday, Haiti is a great opportunity to show the compassion of Christ and share the hope of his gospel,” he continued. “While I am ready to get back home (Louisiana), I am thankful for being here alone with the Lord over these past several days.”
Smithson said he was also thankful for the Hope Rising Children’s Home and the work Matt Smithson and his family has done here.
“Thanks to all of you again for your prayers for myself, my family, Hope Rising, and all those affected by the storm,” he said. “It means more than you will ever know.”
When Smithson returns, he anticipates sharing with his congregation about an opportunity to serve in the country in June 2017 with Hope Rising Children’s Home, a Christian non-profit organization caring for orphans and abandoned children of Leogane, Haiti.
The facility, which had a hurricane shelter on the property, housed its 16 children and house moms as the storm made landfall. Though the facility did suffer some property damage, everyone there successfully weathered the storm.
DAMAGE SLIGHT TO LBC WORK
Wayne Sheppard, executive assistant to the executive director, and partnership missions’ strategist for Louisiana Baptists, said the Croix-des-Boquets area in the central part of Haiti (northeast of Port Au Prince) was lightly affected by the storm.
This is the locale where work continues on a proposed orphanage and church planting center.
Sheppard expects little to no interruption going forward on the project that is a joint effort of the Haitian Baptist Convention, 30 Louisiana Baptist churches and the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home.
MATTHEW MAKE LANDFALL
Hurricane Matthew made landfall near Les Anglais, Haiti, around 6 a.m. CST Oct. 4. The Category 4 Hurricane packed winds of 145 mph and dumped up to 40 inches of rain in some isolated areas as the storm moved through the country. At least 11 people have died from the storm, including five from Haiti.
Haiti Libre, the national news service for the country, reported that 14.530 people have been displaced, 2,703 families are affected and 1,885 houses are flooded.
The storm was just south of the Bahamas Wednesday afternoon, moving northwest at 12 mph. Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina all have declared states of emergency as the storm threatens the U.S. East Coast.
