On Wednesday, millions of Haitians crowded into churches or paused to remember loved ones and pray for the nation on the first anniversary of the earthquake that killed more than 230,000 people and left the country in ruins.

All government offices and most businesses were closed for a National Day of Remembrance and people were encouraged to comfort each other and pull together as a nation.

Marie was sweeping leaves from the hard-packed dirt path beside the Samaritan’s Purse shelter where she lives with her three children near Leogane. She paused to say hello and share her thoughts on the one-year anniversary of the quake.

“I am thankful that God took care of me and my children,” she said. “God didn’t spare me because I am better than anyone else. I’m alive today because of God’s grace. Every day it is a privilege to be alive.”

Down a side street in town, a woman named Irland was braiding a friend’s hair outside the dusty storefront where she sells soft drinks. She couldn’t afford to close shop for the day, but memories of the quake weighed heavily on her heart.

“I listened to Christian radio all day to help take away the sadness,” she said. “I’m sad because of all the people who died.”

Samaritan’s Purse provided a home for Marie and her children and cleared tons of earthquake rubble from the streets of Leogane so women like Irland could reopen their sidewalk shops and start over again.

Within a day of the earthquake, Samaritan’s Purse was there to help meet the most urgent needs, starting with emergency medical care and moving into food, water, shelter, job training, cholera response, and even assistance in creating home gardens for hungry families.

As needs change, so does our response. We still have another 4,000 shelters to build, working through church partners. We will also continue with our medical and clean water programs to help fight cholera.

But our building efforts will soon transition into building permanent schools that are connected to local churches and orphanages to help the most helpless survivors of the quake.

There is also a huge effort underway to distribute more than 250,000 Operation Christmas Child gift boxes and involve thousands of children in The Greatest Journey discipleship program. This focus on evangelizing and discipling children is a beacon of hope for the future of Haiti.

The remembrance of the one-year anniversary of the earthquake was also a reminder that time and life move on. Pray that God will continue to give Samaritan’s Purse the insights and resources needed to continue to help the suffering people in Haiti and around the world.

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Samaritan's Purse , Haiti , Help for Haiti , What’s Next?