Linda Graham with one of the babies she helped deliver

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti - On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the world’s attention was riveted on the island nation of Haiti. The massive earthquake that brought unimaginable destruction to the people of Haiti was something that would not be quickly forgotten. For Pastor Ron Lewis and his team, the events in Haiti struck closer to home. Ron works closely with a number of churches and ministries in Haiti, and there are several members from KPIC and MSNY who are of Haitian descent. However, most urgently, there was a team from King’s Park International Church that had just departed for Haiti to minister at an orphanage there. These four women landed in Port-au-Prince just one hour before the earthquake struck. Rising to the occasion, these four courageous women, Linda Graham, Former Haitian Missionary Kellee Metty, Lisa Lewis, and Julia Zervos went to a nearby hospital to offer their assistance. The supplies ran out and the numbers of injured and dying were so great that the medical staff and doctors fled from the hospital and left it abandoned. Kellee and Lisa went to a nearby soccer field where they were serving countless wounded and injured Haitians. Julia and Linda returned to the hospital, wading through countless injured, providing aid and comfort as they could. They ended up successfully delivering two babies.

For more on this story, access the Conversation Series by clicking here (link to Conversation) With God’s help, Linda’s husband Wayne Graham arranged for their safe return to the States. Afterword, Pastor Ron & his team immediately began working on a strategy to send desperately needed supplies and assistance to the nation of Haiti. Ron partnered with his close friend Kay Hiramine, President of the Humanitarian International Services Group (link to www.hisg.org), a large humanitarian organization that responds to similar disasters around the world. With the support of Strategic Global Initiatives, HISG is transporting planeloads of food, water, clothing, and medicine to Haiti. The team is working with Junior Bataille, a pastor in Haiti, Duke University graduate, and former member of King’s Park International Church. Pastor Junior's father is well-known in Port-Au-Prince. Pastor Gerald Bataille’s mega church is now serving as a distribution center for the supplies, bringing hope and much-needed relief to the surrounding community. To support this critical endeavor, Strategic Global Initiatives has started a Haiti Relief Fund.

To donate to this fund, go to SGI’s donation page

To watch a video, go to this Conversation page