Haiti earthquake family relief for Wirral church minister Marcus Torchon

Jan 27 2010 by Matt Hurst, Birkenhead News

A CHURCH minister on exchange in Bromborough and Neston says his prayers were answered after learning his family in Haiti are safe and well.

And after the massive earthquake rocked the Caribbean island claiming thousands of lives, Haitian Rev Marcus Torchon has vowed to help his homeland get back on its feet.

Mr Torchon, 46, who serves churches in Bromborough, Neston and Little Neston, as well as preaching in Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port and Whitby, faced a hellish five- day wait as he attempted to discover the fate of his family in Haiti.

The Methodist minister found out on the Saturday following the quake that his two brothers and two sisters were safe and well.

Mr Torchon, who has been in the UK on an exchange programme since 2006, with his wife Celia and 10-year-old son Jean-deLuc, is due to return to Haiti in 2011.

He said his congregations had been in touch offering prayers and help.

Mr Torchon said: “It has been – and still is – a very stressful time.”

“The church has been very good, helping me out and keeping me going.

“From Tuesday until Saturday there was no breakthrough.

“On Saturday it was like a burden had been lifted.”

Mr Torchon, from Petit-Goave, 30 miles from the quake epicentre, has plans to rebuild the vital community buildings razed to the ground.

He added: “It’s still early but I’m thinking about the possibility of communities here who may be interested in helping out in a tangible way, building a school or a clinic in Haiti.

“I’d like to go to see what I can do and look out for some schools and communities that may be willing to enter a relationship with schools and communities here.”

Estimates of the death toll following the 7.0 quake have risen as high as 500,000 with 150,000 dead in Port-au-Prince alone.

The Methodist Church in Britain has donated £20,000 in immediate aid to Haiti and says it is appealing for people to donate money for the emergency response to the World Mission Fund, managed by the Methodist Church in Britain.