Co-appointed field personnel to Haiti by CBF and ABC USA International Ministries Nancy and Steve James are safe. They are in the U.S. but will be returning to Haiti to begin a response to Tuesday's earthquake later this week.

(Updated 10:42 a.m. with giving information below)

As news of the devastating 7.0 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, reached the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship overnight, CBF Global Missions staff have made contact with Nancy and Steve James, field personnel co-appointed with American Baptist Churches USA. The James are safe. They were in the U.S. attending a conference.

Here is the text of the update sent by ABC USA’s International Ministries:

“Late this afternoon, January 12th, an earthquake of 7.3 magnitude hit just west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. There has been much damage and death. The Jameses are driving back to Florida from North Carolina and plan to be on the Missionary Flights International plane into Haiti on Thursday.  They will be accessing the situation and seeing where they can help.

Steve and Nancy spoke with Arch Woodard, a close friend and doctor from North Carolina who is living in their house in Haiti while they are in the states.  Arch felt the tremor but does not have any report of damage in the Limbe area at this time. Arch’s location is more than 100 miles north of the epicenter

Kihomi Nguime and Nzunga Mabudiga, missionaries in Haiti are in the states at this time on their Home assignment.

Please pray for the people in Haiti and the help that is needed.”

Meanwhile, CBF international disaster response coordinator David Harding has begun making contacts to develop the Fellowship’s response. The Fellowship will channel its response through the Jameses and other partners. While not a first responder in such disasters, the Fellowship will focus its efforts on making a long-term impact on the affected region.

You can track the ongoing response here at the Fellowship’s blog. To give to the relief effort, visit the Fellowship’s donate page, https://www.thefellowship.info/Give/Donate.aspx?fund=17015 or send your check to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392, indicating fund No. 17015 “Haiti Response.”

To get connected further, join the Haiti Network on the Fellowship’s Ning community at http://fellowshipportal.ning.com/group/haitipartnersforchrist. You will have to sign up for a Ning account before you can join the online community.