Contact: Marshall Washburn, 561-792-6777
MEDIA ADVISORY, Jan. 7, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- One year ago this week, a Florida-based Christian radio ministry had no idea it would work in Haiti throughout 2010. Everything changed, however, on January 12, 2010. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake ripped across the poverty-stricken Caribbean nation. Rick Wiles, the founder and president of Trunews, immediately knew his organization had to respond.
Lacking experience as first-responders, however, did not deter the Christian radio ministry. "It was the one of the worst natural calamities in world history -- and only 700 miles away from Florida," explained the 57-year-old Christian newscaster. "There was no other choice," he said.
The urgency of the crisis required Wiles to connect with other Christian organizations that were also sending aid. For example, Wiles learned that the Colorado-based Messenger International ministry chartered a jetliner at Miami International Airport days after the mega-earthquake. The ministry, however, had less than 24 hours to fill the chartered aircraft with food and supplies.
Wiles jumped into action. "We teamed up with Bless an Orphan and together we purchased tons of rice, beans, pasta, bottled water, baby food, dry milk, cooking oil, tents, blankets, sleeping bags, flashlights, batteries, and lots of other emergency items," said Wiles. "All three ministries joined hands and got the aircraft loaded on time. The rest is history. The emergency food and supplies were delivered to God's Littlest Angels orphanage," said Wiles.
Trunews and Bless an Orphan worked together to airlift several plane loads of food to orphanages in the coastal city of Jacmel. Trunews also loaned its mission field manager to several other Christian organizations for several months to complete projects such as installing water filtration systems or building large tent structures as temporary schools and medical clinics. Trunews also worked with Missionary Flights International to airlift camping tents to Haitian churches.
Trunews spent the last six months of 2010 erecting steel-frame shelters for orphanages damaged or destroyed in the quake. The shelter project was launched with seed money from Hope for Haiti, a Christian organization in Ft. Pierce, FL. Bless an Orphan, based in Vero Beach, FL, helped to provide food and supplies to the orphanages after Trunews built the structures.
Trunews is a cutting edge Christian newscast hosted by Rick Wiles. Broadcasting since 1999, the program is heard exclusively on the Internet, BlogTalkRadio.com, and three powerful worldband shortwave radio stations. Wiles is known for his penetrating interviews of top newsmakers from around the world.
