A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Port-au-Prince area of Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010 at 4:53pm.
The Haitian government reported over 316,000 people lost their lives, another 300,000 were injured, and over 1 million were left homeless after 250,000 homes collapsed or were severely damaged.
Nurse Yvonne Martin, who lived near Alma, died only hours after arriving in Port-au-Prince. She was there with a medical team to set up mobile medical clinics to serve the area.
Drayton resident and Pastor Willard Metzger, the director of church relations with World Vision, was also serving in the area when his hotel was severely damaged by the quake.
“Soon after the earthquake ended, dust created a haze across the sky and the sound of wailing filled the air. Darkness fell within an hour, hampering the immediate rescue efforts,” Metzger reported.
On May 16 at 7pm, the Rotary Club of Drayton is hosting Haiti: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow and Metzger will be the featured speaker. The club invites everyone to hear his story of what Haiti was like prior to, at the time of, and after this natural disaster. How does a country considered among the poorest in the World try to cope?
Also speaking at the event will be a team, led by Albert and Lysje Nykamp, who recently returned from a work mission trip to Cap Haitian. That team helped in the construction of a pharmacy, and worked on other projects in the region. Those up-to-date reports will also provide insight into the Haitian life. Some members of the team have served in the Cap Haitian area for many years and have seen changes happen during this time.
Dessert and refreshments will be served during the meeting. A free will offering will be collected to help in the construction of a Cap Haitian building next year.
It will be held at the Drayton Reformed Church, located at 72 Wellington Street South in Drayton.
For more information contact Rotarian Jim Curry at 519-638-3363.
