_When the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, a new door of ministry opened for Island Impact to reach out to the Haitian people with a love and compassion that continues today.  Island Impact’s Dominican medical staff arrived in Haiti just two days after the quake and helped more than 500 people. Our first response medical team of 19 people arrived in Haiti from the U.S., Canada, and Holland, within one week after the quake hit.  2010 efforts brought medical relief to over 4,500 people, many with life threatening injuries as well as many others who suffered from the benign neglect that has plagued them for years.  

_ During a medical excursions to Haiti after the earthquake, Island Impact volunteers were introduced to Pastor Francois Mezilien who runs the Association des Handicapés de Carrefour.  The association is a registered orphanage for about 36 handicapped children and provides services for over 400 handicapped adults located in the Port-au-Prince suburb of Carrefour. 
Francois Mezilien and his wife, who are also both handicapped,  run not only the orphanage center, but a small school of about 60 children.  His association is a meeting place for several hundred other handicapped people from the area living on their own.  They come to the center for help with their physical and spiritual needs.   In 2010 property was purchased by Pastor Francois and The Journey Church, of East Patchogue, NY donated the funds for the security wall and gate.