Just Days Before the Haiti Quake

[Richard Myers]

Did you know that just days before the quake hit Haiti, God reached out to the people of Por-au-Prince?   Over 15,000 young people and church members marched with Bible in hand through the streets of Port-au-Prince. More than 15,000 Bibles were given away during the march.  The Traveling Bible left Port-au-Prince on the morning of Jan. 12, towards Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, just hours before the earthquake hit.

           
images by Haitian Union/IAD


January 26, 2010 - Port-au-Prince, Haiti...[Pierre Caporal/IAD Staff]

The Traveling Bible arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 7, just days before the 7-magnitude earthquake hit the city, killing thousands and leaving thousands more homeless. The Bible had previously been in Puerto Rico.

Dozens of Seventh-day Adventist church leaders, government officials and church members welcomed the unique Bible at Toussaint Louverture International Airport's diplomatic room. About 20 members of the media were present to document the event.

The president of the Protestant Federation in Haiti joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church to receive the multi-language Bible, which was hand-delivered by the delegation from Puerto Rico. The Bible was then taken in a caravan through the city of Port-au-Prince for the second of many celebrations.

"It is my privilege to hand you this traveling Bible," said Pastor Jose A. Rodriguez, president of the church in Puerto Rico, as he handed the Bible to Theart St. Pierre, president of the church in Haiti. "We hope that this Bible can be a light to shine and guide Haiti. Read the Bible, Practice the Bible."

Pastor St. Pierre, along with his team of union, fields, institutions and church members, pledged to read the Bible and promote Bible reading throughout Haiti.

Church leaders, members and community leaders participated in transcribing Bible passages and reciting scripture. They also enjoyed a special exhibit of the oldest Bibles in Haiti.

On Saturday, Jan. 9, nearly 3,000 people gathered at the Auditorium of the Bible in Port-au-Prince for a huge celebration. About 120 government officials and religious leaders were invited as special guests. Among them were representatives from the presidential office, the Apostolic Nuncio, the President of the Protestant Federation, a representative of the voodoo church, political leaders and dozens of ministers from other evangelical churches.

Each guest read a Bible passage from the Book of Joel in French or Creole, and each received a special Bible from Adventist leaders. In addition to Bible-themed Sabbath activities, church leaders distributed some 450 Bibles to female inmates and police guards at the Petion-Ville Women's Prison after a special Bible-focused program.

Over 15,000 young people and church members marched with Bible in hand through the streets of Port-au-Prince on Jan. 10. Using loud speakers, leaders invited listeners to read the Bible. More than 15,000 Bibles were given away during the march. In addition, Pathfinders and Pathfinder Master Guides sang special songs about the Bible.

The Traveling Bible left Port-au-Prince on the morning of Jan. 12, towards Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, just hours before the earthquake hit.

Source:  Inter-American Division, Seventh-day Adventist Church

[Richard Myers]

Donations may be sent by check to the Inter-American Division, Re: Haiti Catastrophe Fund, 8100 S.W. 117th Avenue, Miami, Florida, 33183.

[Richard Myers]

Notice the palace in photo.


                                      
                                       images by Haitian Union/IAD[/img]



The date is Jan 12. It must have been just hours before the quake hit as the traveling Bible was leaving the city. Hours later the palace lay in ruins.

Here is the palace after quake:  source

Here is the same day AP video:  source

And here just after the quake hit: "The World is Coming to an End!"

[Sybil]

Wow, I didn't know the traveling Bible was there just before the quake!

[Richard Myers]

God loves the people of Haiti. The Bible was proclaimed in the City of Port-au-Prince and to all of the people of Haiti. God is in control of all that happens in this world. He does not cause everything to happen, but there is nothing that happens that He does not allow to happen. All things work together for good to those who love the Lord. The Bible was a little behind its schedule, as it was to be in North America on January 11.

God is working and we can see His hand if we will but look.

Here is the schedule for the Traveling Bible that will end up in Atlanta for the General Conference Session.

[Richard Myers]

Follow the Bible is part of a coordinated initiative by church leadership to lift the vision of Seventh-day Adventists worldwide in renewing their commitment to read and share the Bible. Church leadership envisions an international Bible Route with a Bible traveling the world between GC annual council, October 2008 and GC session, June 2010. The eyes of the entire Adventist community will follow this Bible as it journeys the world. As it is brought into cities, towns, and villages, large numbers of Adventists will gather to recommit their lives to following the Bible. Millions of Adventists worldwide will participate in Bible reading marathons as the Bible passes through their areas. Church leaders will speak to large and small groups gathered to rededicate themselves to the word of God as the Bible is brought to their church or school. Thousands of evangelistic meetings will be planned to encourage seeking men and women to "Follow the Bible."

Therefore, Follow the Bible will have the following objectives:

    * To create worldwide community awareness that Seventh-day Adventists are people who believe and follow the Bible as the Word of God.
    * To revive and encourage Seventh-day Adventist members around the world to return to the Bible, to accept its authority, and determine to follow the Bible in their daily life.
    * To involve Seventh-day Adventists around the world in personal study, small-group study, and sharing the message of the Bible to others in the community.

This will possibly be the most traveled Bible in the history of the world as it makes its journey, and momentum will build within the Adventist community. This Bible will be preached from and read in more languages than any other book in the history of mankind. All of the media ministries of the Church will cover the story. The public media will feature its journey. This initiative will surely restore the image of the Church, that Seventh-day Adventists really are people of the Book. We are truly people who Follow the Bible.

Statement by Mark Finley Vice President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

[Richard Myers]

While the stated object of taking the Bible around the world was to associate the Bible with our church, I see it having a much greater value. It points the world to the Bible as the Word of God. The people of Haiti will remember that the Bible was brought to them before the quake and that it was safely removed before the quake. Some will turn to the Bible for a knowledge of God.