Pastor Heads To Former Haiti Home To Help In Earthquake Recovery

By Chris Wright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- One Oklahoma family is heading to Haiti, a place they once called home, to help in relief efforts.

With only a backpack in hand, Pastor Brian Raushenberger heads to Port-au-Prince this week. He will escort and translate for a five-person medical team.

Raushenberger moved his family to Haiti in the mid 90's and stayed there until 2002. When the quake hit, he said they all felt an undeniable urge to return.

"I'm anxious to help. I'm anxious to get down there, check up on some of our friends there and make sure they're well, anxious to do something, said Pastor Raushenberger, Bible Fellowship Church.

Anxiety replaced what was initially panic. Jessica Raushenberger is engaged to a Haitian pastor who lives in Port-au-Prince.

"It was really scary because I didn't know what happened," said Pastor Raushenberger's daughter Jessica.

Jessica's fiance was able to call the morning after the earthquake. He had survived, but it was a close call.

"He told he said I shouldn't have made it. Right where he was there was a building that fell down," Jessica said.

The Raushenberger's son Benjamin will also aid with the relief effort. The 21-year-old Marine was pulled out of counter-terrorism training and placed with a company that is en route to Haiti.

"They ask him 'Do you mind going?' And he said ‘No, if the Haitian people are in need, I want to go,'" Pastor Raushenberger said.

Haiti will undoubtedly need all the assistance it can get during the long recovery process. Because of their personal connection to the country, the Raushenbergers say they couldn't sit by idly while their friends are in need.

"When you've spent so much of your life with these people, with this culture, it's part of you," the pastor said.

Both Brian and Benjamin Raushenberger are fluent in the native language, Haitian Creole. It's a skill they say will be sorely needed during the relief effort.