Arriving for district assemblies just hours ahead of a devastating earthquake in Haiti, General Superintendent J. K. Warrick has issued a call for the Church of the Nazarene around the world to pray and respond immediately and generously to the needs of more than 115,000 Haitian Nazarenes.

Warrick and the others traveling with him are reported to be unharmed.

The magnitude 7.0 quake - the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century - struck shortly before 5 P.M. Eastern Time and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the United States Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said.

"The earth became like an angry ocean - it was quite a ride," stated Warrick in Haiti.  

"We drove around the city of Petionville (Tuesday evening) where the Nazarene seminary campus is located.  Large buildings have collapsed and there are thousands of people in the streets," Warrick reported. 

"They were using headlights to look into the rubble of a Catholic church and a four-story grocery store (see slideshow). The search for trapped victims and bodies has hardly begun. It is heart-wrenching to see the devastation and to know of the suffering of the people here," Warrick added. 
   
Warrick issued this call for help - "Nazarenes everywhere need to rally to the needs of Haiti. This is the time for action. I plead with our people to respond with prayers, financial gifts, and other types of assistance as may be appropriate. I am sure it will be worse in the daylight."

Update: Warrick and the others who had flown into Haiti for district assemblies were safely transported to Florida in the early evening hours of January 13. (story)

Persons and churches wishing to make a donation online can do so through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries at ncm.org or can mark their checks "Caribbean Disaster Response ACM1204" and mail them to the Global Treasury Services, PO Box 843116 Kansas City, MO 64184. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3.
--Board of General Superintendents