The impoverished nation of Haiti was hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Tuesday night, rocking the capital city of Port-au-Prince and affecting an estimated 3 million people. Hundreds of thousands are affected by this major catastrophe.

One Biola alumnus working in Haiti at the time of the quake has returned to the U.S. safely and at least two alumni have traveled or stayed in Haiti to assist with disaster relief.

Recent alumnus Adam Sjoberg ('07) left for Haiti on Jan. 15, 2010 to assist with disaster relief. He left with an array of supplies donated by friends and two suitcases of medical supplies donated by the Martha Stewart Living Design Team. Sjoberg helped wherever he was needed and returned today Jan. 21.

BOLD alumnus Mike Gibson ('09) started a relief organization in Haiti in 2008 called Grangou, the Haitian creole word for hungry, and is currently assessing needs and beginning to provide relief to the surrounding communities. Gibson is working with Giving Children Hope to get supplies to Haiti quickly as well as help children in orphanages. Donate emergency funds to Grangou as they assist with disaster relief.

Biola alumnus Louima Lilite was in Northern Haiti when the earthquake hit. He travels to Haiti three times per year for short-term missions trips. His family was able to leave Jan. 15 and have returned to the U.S. safely.

“The victim of the massive 7.0 earthquake, Port-au-Prince, is my hometown. A hometown is a place that is full of memories of former days which provide a person with proverbial 'legs' to stand on,” wrote Lilite in a Facebook note. Further he wrote, “This tragedy has revived in my heart my first love for my hometown.”

Lilite is still waiting to hear more news regarding family in Haiti, which Oklahoma's channel 9 news covered in their video report OBU Professor Returns from Haiti, Worries for Family.

The organization he works with in Haiti is partnering with Haiti Hope Fund to collect funds that will go to help the people of Port-au-Prince.

“With God's help and the assistance of bold and willing individuals, we can make a difference that lasts,” he wrote.

Biola University is praying for the survivors and all those affected.

Please pray for the people of Haiti, a nation that is already familiar with severe hardship and is now suffering from a calamity that has killed large numbers of people and destroyed the nation's capital city.

If you would like to donate to help the victims of this devastating disaster, below is a list of major relief organizations providing aid in Haiti:

Written by Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator. Jenna can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.