Local Church Draws About 40,000 To Service In Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti As the world commemorated the one-year anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti on Wednesday, an organization founded by a local church brought an estimated 40,000 Haitians together to celebrate their faith.
The group Churches Helping Churches organized the service in Port-au-Prince. The website for the group says about 40,000 people attended.
As CBS 2's Susanna Song reported last month, Rolling Meadows-based Harvest Bible Fellowship spearheaded the international group last year after the earthquake ravaged Haiti. The program raised nearly $3 million for relief there.
Thirty-eight churches jumped on board the project, and they decided to organize a memorial service in Port-au-Prince on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake Wednesday.
The service was held in front of the Palais Nationale, which was ruined by the earthquake. But, Churches Helping Churches emphasized, the purpose of the service was "not to mourn, but to celebrate."
"They came to remember those who are gone. They came to be renewed in their faith. They came to rejoice in the hope they have in Christ, by worshipping with fellow brothers and sisters," the Churches Helping Churches website said.
The group's leaders said they are "truly blessed" to work with leaders of faith in Haiti.
"We have great hope for Haiti, because God has a great love for this place and these people," Churches Helping Churches said.
