On January 12 a 7.0 Richter scale earthquake struck the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, bringing widespread death and destruction to the western hemisphere’s poorest nation. The earthquake killed at least 200,000 people, injured at least 300,000 others, leveled at least 250,000 residencies, and destroyed or severely damaged at least 30,000 commercial structures. It was Haiti’s largest and most destructive earthquake in more than 200 years.
Beyond the statistics, the human suffering is amongst the most heartbreaking the world has seen in some time – the break-up of families, the orphaned children, the lack of food and water, the emotional and physical pain, the fight for daily survival.
This tragedy, however, has born witness to the generosity of Americans once again and others throughout the world who have given of themselves financially – donating roughly $528 million as of late January. But long before the earthquake put Haiti on the world radar screen, it stood out for its dismal standard of living. For generations Christian missionaries have come to do what they could. They were there on January 12 before the bottom fell out. A few of them even made the ultimate sacrifice. If we have missed anyone please let us know so they can be honored for their sacrifice.
Featured below are their stories of devotion and achievement which inspire us all.
Reverend Sam Dixon
The Reverend Sam Dixon travelled the world to further Christ’s mission. He was in Haiti on January 12 to find ways to improve health services for the poor people there.
His career began in 1975 when he entered the ministry in his native North Carolina. He served there for more than 20 years. He then went to work for the Board of Global Ministries, serving as a staff member of the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR). In 1998 he took charge of UMCOR’s field operations unit, where he confronted issues involving local health care, refugees, agriculture, small business development, and orphaned children.
In 2001, he became the executive director of the United Methodist Development Fund. In 2003 he was elected head of the board unit on evangelization and church growth. There, he oversaw programs on missionary education and relations with mission partners.
He had served as UMCOR’s top executive since 2007.
He believed Christians could better resolve problems by working with others. His decision to coordinate relief efforts with Muslim Aid of London drew some criticism, but he stood by it, believing this kind of collaboration better served those who needed aid the most.
“You could not be in his presence and not have a sense of his passion for his faith and his work,” according to Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops.
Rev. Dixon’s body was pulled from the rubble of what was the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince, 55 hours after the earthquake on January 12. He was 60.
He leaves behind his wife Cindy and four adult children -- Christy, Amy, Josh, and Molly – and his mother, three sisters, and two grandchildren.
Reverend Clint Rabb
The Rev. Clint Rabb was in Haiti along with Rev. Dixon and Rev. James Gulley to find health care solutions for the Haitian people.
His life was all about helping those who needed it most.
“Clint Rabb was a tough and fearless advocate for the least and most vulnerable of God’s children,” said Bishop Joel N. Martinez, the interim general secretary of Global Ministries. “He travelled the world encouraging volunteer ministry in his service on behalf of Christ and the church. He gave his life for others and we celebrate his faithful witness.”
A native of Hunt County, Texas, northeast of Dallas, Rev. Rabb began his ecclesial career in 1974 with the Goliad United Methodist Church. Early in his career he served in various ministries in the San Antonio and San Angelo areas of Texas.
He joined the Global Ministries in 1996. His work took him to Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and central Asia. He developed the “In Mission Together Church to Church Partnership Program,” bringing together congregations, annual conferences, volunteer efforts, and mission staff.
He had directed the Mission Volunteers Ministries since 2006. This unit partners with regional and jurisdictional volunteer networks under the auspices of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVM). The UMVM stations volunteers throughout the world, often in the field of health.
In this role, Rev. Rabb also promoted the Individual Volunteer programs and mission opportunities for retired people.
He died in a Miami hospital on January 17, five days after the earthquake. He had been meeting with Rev. Dixon and three others at the Hotel Montana when the earthquake struck. He was found alive, but his life could not be saved.
He leaves behind his wife, Rev. Suzanne Field-Rabb. He is also survived by eight children, Maury Rabb, Tyler Rabb, Ginny Scheuch, Travis Payne, Daniel Payne, Andrew Payne, Mathew Payne, Clare Payne, and three grandchildren.
Jeanne Acheson-Munos
The Rev. Jeanne Acheson-Munos and her husband Jack were sent to Port-au-Prince by the Free Methodist World Missions (FMWM) in March 2004 to serve as career missionaries.
In addition to teaching at Haiti’s Bible School, the Institut Biblique Methodiste Libre, “They worked alongside the national church to develop and strengthen the conference, pastors, church leaders, and members,” the FMWM said in statement.
The daughter of a long-time Indianapolis pastor, Rev. Acheson-Munos met Jack in high school. They married and lived most of their lives in Indianapolis. They became missionaries out of a desire to help needy people find Christ and improve their lives.
“Jeanne’s deepest desire was that Haiti, the Pearl of the Antilles, would shine again,” the FMWM stated.
Her “desire was for this whole country to be transformed by God’s love and God’s grace and she was determined, if not single-handedly, to make this happen,” said John Hay, Jr. of FMWM. “So we hope that, in spirit at least, and by inspiration for others, that will happen for their country.”
Rev. Acheson-Munos was in her third floor apartment with Jack at the time of the earthquake. The building collapsed, killing her. Jack was pulled from the wreckage six hours later and survived.
Eugene Dufour
Eugene Dufour was in Haiti as a volunteer of the FMWM and the Friends of Haiti Organization (FOHO).
FOHO primarily builds churches. But through the years it has undertaken a number of projects in Haiti, including building parsonages, canteens, a self-help store, a quest house, retainer walls, schools. It has undertaken well drilling, dental, medical, educational, and pastoral projects.
A native of Clio, Michigan, Dufour had volunteered in Haiti twice before. His friend Kenny Voller recalled picking him up from the airport after his first trip to Haiti.
“He talked nonstop all the way home, five or six hours, with tears running down his face,” said Voller who also ministered in Haiti on a number of occasions. “‘Those poor people,’ that’s all he could say. It tore his heart. He’s seen the worst.”
Dufour served as an active Craftsman for Christ, helping to build churches and ministries. He worked in construction in Miami for Haitian churches.
“Whether it was across the street or across the ocean, wherever it was, Gene was always there,” said Dale Woods, another friend.
Dufour is survived by his wife Dolly and adult children.
Dufour, 64, was killed with his friend from Michigan, Merle West, when the FOHO headquarters collapsed in the earthquake. The two men, who spent winter months in a Christian retirement community in Lakeland, Florida, had landed in Haiti only an hour earlier.
Merle West
Merle West of Mt. Morris, Michigan, was the president of FOHO, a member of Craftsman for Christ, and a volunteer for the FMWM. In these roles he came to Haiti on January 12.
He had ministered in Haiti many times dating back to 1978. He also worked in construction in Miami for Haitian churches.
“The Lord put Haiti on Merle’s heart 30 years ago,” his friend Kenny Voller said. “That’s what Merle lived for. Very seldom did you have a conversation with him that Haiti did not come up.”
“Merle was about others – that was his life, others,” said Greg Ennis, another friend. “Merle had a profound influence on the lives of others, that was evident.”
West was 72 at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife Dorothy and adult children.
Benjamin Larson
Benjamin Larson of La Crosse, Wisconsin was a fourth-year student at the Wartburg Theological School in Dubuque, Iowa. He was in Haiti to teach at the Evangelical Lutheran Church to complete a January term project.
Along with his wife Renee and his cousin Jonathon Larson, Benjamin was also in Haiti to “help with the new Haiti Lutheran Church,” according to a statement issued by the First Lutheran Church of Duluth where his mother, the Rev. April Larson, is the pastor.
His father is the Rev. Judd Larson, the interim pastor at Duluth’s Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
Corinne Denis served with Larson in the seminary and first met him at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa when they were both undergraduate students. She said that when he headed the college’s student-led worship service, he looked forward to singing so much that he could be heard “singing in the stairwell before he got there.”
Renee said that just after the earthquake, “He was singing, not unusual for Ben who loved music. I told him I loved him, and that Jon and I were okay, and to keep singing. But the singing stopped after he sang ‘God’s peace to us we pray.’”
Larson, 25, died in the collapse of the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys. He had been staying there with Renee and Jonathon, both of whom survived the collapse.
In addition to his wife and his parents, he is survived by three older siblings.
Jean Arnwine
Clara Jean Arnwine, 49, of Dallas, Texas, volunteered to go to Haiti last month along with 11 other members of the Highland Park United Methodist Church. They arrived three days before the earthquake.
The group included four employees of Texas Retina Associates, Arnwine’s employer of many years. They were in Haiti to provide free eye care service. The group included Dr. Gary Fish and Dr. Kenneth Foree who, with his wife Lila, had run the church eye care clinic in Haiti for more than 30 years.
Arnwine’s husband of 30 years, David, said she eagerly agreed to join the group.
“She was excited. She was thrilled. She started calling everyone she knew to donate glasses.”
“She loves a project that benefits someone else,” Dr. Fish said.
Her experience in Haiti had been all she expected it to be. Alex Paz, Arnwine’s coworker at Texas Retina Associates, said “She was very happy to be there. She was ready to come back next year.”
The earthquake leveled the eye clinic in Petit Goave, a village west of Port-au-Prince where Arnwine and four members of her team were working. Her coworkers survived their injuries. Her injuries, however, were more extensive. She died three days later.
In addition to her husband, she leaves behind two children, son Ashley Ryan Arnwine, 29, and daughter Merilee DeAnne Arnwine, 27.
Yvonne Martin
Yvonne Martin, 67, a retired nurse from Elmira, Ontario (Canada) landed in Haiti only 90 minutes before the earthquake. She was among a group of seven volunteers with World Partners and the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada.
On this her fourth Christian mission to the island nation, she and her group had planned to provide humanitarian aid in the northern part of the country.
She looked forward to it, having come to love the Haitian people and their culture.
“She was growing her love for Haiti. This was her retirement plan, to fundraise, learn Haitian Creole, and go back,” said her son Luke.
She had just left her fellow missionaries to change clothes when the earthquake leveled the building she was in. Her body was found the next day.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Ron, and her sons Luke, Dean, and Terry, their wives, ten grandchildren, two brothers, and a sister.
Molly Hightower
A month after graduating from the University of Portland, Molly Hightower, 22, of Port Orchard, Washington, came to Haiti in June 2009 to pursue her passion of caring for children left behind.
She volunteered on behalf of the Catholic-affiliated organization, Friends of the Orphans. She provided physical therapy when needed and comforted disabled and abandoned children. Many of them were both disabled and abandoned -- autistic children, children with Down Syndrome, and others whose disabilities made them unwanted by their parents.
“She poured everything she had into the children, everything she had into these little ones who might not know love otherwise,” said Father Craig Hightower, her uncle and Gonzaga University priest.
“She grew up in a household full of pictures and stories (of the people they helped),” another Uncle John Hightower said. “She wanted to answer the call and help the poorest of the poor.”
At the time of the earthquake she was in her apartment on the fifth floor of a seven-story building in Petionville. Her body was found in the wreckage on January 15, three days after the earthquake.
She is survived by her parents, Mike and Mary, her sister Jordon, her brothers Zach and Sean, and a host of other relatives.
Joseph Serge Miot
In addition to playing a leading role in the Roman Catholic Church in his largely Catholic nation, Joseph Serge Miot, 63, the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, will be remembered for playing a leading role in Haitian society.
Ordained a priest in 1975 and appointed Coadjutor by Pope John Paul II in 1997, he became the ninth Archbishop of Port-au-Prince in 2008.
He used his power to stridently oppose the corruption that has plagued his country, wherever it was, whether it was in the lower, middle, or upper-most echelons. This meant challenging the political system, including the prime minister on occasion.
He wanted to create a more just political system. So he started a school for Christians to learn about politics and prepare for political activity.
He formed an alliance to help the poor of his country become more productive and better able to rise above the crippling poverty that has diminished the quality of life for generation-after-generation of Haitians.
As a philosophy professor at the Port-au-Prince Seminary of St.Jacques, “He was a demanding and understanding priest,” who emphasized that “Being a priest is not a profession, it is a mission,” said the Rev. Michel Menard.
Monsignor Miot’s body was found among the rubble in his office the day after the earthquake.
Jeffrey J. Rodman is the founder, President, and CEO of Here-4-You Christian Grant Consulting and Church Grant Writing providing consultation for grant writing and funding development nationally and internationally. Mr. Rodman has a Master Degree in Education, is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), and is a Certified Grants Specialist (CGS). He is an experienced grant writer, nonprofit executive, and public speaker. Mr. Rodman has written hundreds of proposal to both government and private sources, has secured millions as a consultant, and has an 80% success rate in securing grants.
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