Leland Davis of the Kern County Fire Department just got back from a week in Haiti.  He went with a group called Firefighters for Christ International and this was his first mission with the group.  Travel costs and much of what he needed for the trip was paid for out of his own pocket so this was truly a sacrifice on his part.

Davis and his family attend Valley Bible Fellowship on Brundage Ln. in Bakersfield.  He was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ at age 9.  Like many raised in a Christian family, he fell away from his faith but later experienced a transformation by God's grace. 

While working as an EMT in Los Angeles, he was invited to a prayer meeting by a co-worker.  He rededicated his life to Christ in 1998 and joined Firefighters for Christ International.  Their website says "Our mission goal is to encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ.  Hebrews 10:24-25"  Davis says "We work to save from two fires."

Davis was joined by 13 other firefighters, both serving and retired from around the State to provide spiritual support and assistance where possible to those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  Several text messages sent to Sean Collins, Public Information Officer for the Kern Fire Department, describe the continued quakes and aftershocks.  Davis said the spirits of the Haitian people at times appear upbeat in spite of the great tragedy.  His group set up a clean water supply because most drinking water is contaminated. 

He mentioned he had to be very discrete when eating and drinking because "people will mob you for either, which makes you feel guilty, so often we go throughout the day without eating anything."  In the same message, Davis states "Today is starting to get very Violent at food lines. In the area known as Cite Soliel (Sun City) gun fights broke out between peace keepers and rebels.  At our clinic we had several gun shot victims come in, most pretty minor."

The Mountain Daily News applauds Davis and his fellow firefighters for their self sacrifice in helping those affected by this overwhelming tragedy. 

"All things considered the spirits of the Haitian people at times appear up beat even though things are at their lowest."

Some text messages from Leland Davis:

"The smell is horrible.  There are bodies burning in the streets and no rescue teams coming to our area of Carrefour.  This is the Epicenter.  We had two pretty good aftershocks today.  We went to church with the people we were helping.  You should have seen how happy these people were.  It was unbelievable.  I was teaching some of the little kids at the church the sheep song that I do with kids."

"It is overwhelming, but we are in the Lords hands.  We had a huge earthquake this morning about 5 a.m. It was pretty scary.  Some guys from the Canadian Navy said they felt their ship rocking and waves splashing.  This one has people even more freaked out.  (Apparently the earthquake was a 5.9)"

"My team traveled to Gracierre which is about an hour southwest of PAP [Port-au-Prince].  On the road we passed massive devastation with few buildings standing and followed numbers of buses transporting people to the country.  We were driven by a governmental escort who stepped out of the presidential palace right before the earthquake.  He was the only survivor of his team of 10.  We met up with a Pastor of a Church School who ran an orphanage where 1600 people went to school.  This 3 story collapsed and miraculously no one was hurt.  We then met up with another Pastor’s orphanage where one child was killed and one rescued.  We spent the day blessing these children and teaching them songs.  Later in the day, members of the Canadian Navy showed up and built a shelter for some of the children. "

"We found some US Army Rangers, God Bless those soldiers.  They gave us an armed escort to the International Hospital in downtown PAP.  They stopped traffic for us and got us through faster.  You cannot comprehend the devastation downtown.  We drove by a dead person still pinned in a car."