The nation’s first faith-based academic disaster research center located at Wheaton College in Illinois, aims to equip Christian churches and organizations to respond to natural catastrophes in the best way possible.

Wheaton College launched the Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI) just before the start of the fall semester. It is also one of the few disaster or humanitarian centers in the Midwest, according to school officials.

The institute is using its experience in Haiti and a planned trip to tsunami-affected areas in Japan to equip relief organizations. more >>

Franklin Graham told students at John Brown University on Tuesday to remain committed in their faith in Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel in spite of the persecution they may face.

Speaking during a special chapel service, the evangelical preacher asked the students of the private Christian university in Siloam Springs, Ark., to "set the sail for the course that God has in front of you," while overcoming the pitfalls, temptations and challenges in their path.

"The last thing the devil wants you to do is serve the Lord Jesus Christ," he said. more >>

WASHINGTON – American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern outlined accomplishments and future goals on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti.

McGovern put off accusations that the Red Cross was not spending Haiti relief money fast enough with a full report detailing last year’s efforts to provide food, shelter, and clean water despite mass devastation and an unexpected cholera outbreak.

Speaking at the National Press Club Wednesday, she shared with members of the media that the Red Cross received donations totaling $479 million for relief in Haiti. So far, she said, Red Cross has spent over half of that money supplying tents, cots, latrines, medical supplies and personal grants. more >>

Mars Hill Church pastor Mark Driscoll spoke Wednesday to over 50,000 people during an outside church service commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake.

The event, which took place outside the collapsed capitol building in Port-au-Prince, was hosted by Churches Helping Churches, a global church partnership co-founded by Driscoll to help rebuild churches devastated in the wake of a natural disaster.

Addressing a sea of Haitians that crowded the five-way intersection to attend the rally, the Seattle-based pastor shared the Gospel based on Galatians 4:4-7 on the difference between a son and a slave. more >>

When it comes to talking about life’s challenges, Haitians don’t pull any punches. They don’t gloss over hard realities. They don’t rely on shallow platitudes to help them feel better.

They know, perhaps better than anyone, that ignoring pain doesn’t make it go away. Shifting the conversation to something more appropriate, something more comfortable, helps no one.

On Monday I spent a few hours listening to testimonies of Compassion-sponsored children, teens, and staff who had suffered injuries and lost parents in January’s earthquake. more >>

One year after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck close to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, people are still searching for answers, said a long-time Haiti missionary.

David Carwell, program manager of Mission Aviation Fellowship in Haiti, acknowledged that the number of Haitians responding to the Gospel has declined since the days immediately following the quake, but he believes there will be another “surge” of people accepting Christ.

“The widespread openness to the Gospel really peaked about a month after the earthquake,” Carwell said. “People were turning to the Lord everywhere. Even Mardi Gras parties were curtailed in 2010. But after that initial surge of relief aid tapered off, things slowly went back to the way they were. I believe we’re going to see another surge of people turning to the Lord again this January.” more >>