Haiti

I am absolutely heart sick for the people of Haiti. I can't come close to comprehending the pain and loss they have suffered in the last 72 hours. Haiti is a country that had so little in the first place, that for them to suffer such devastating loss is unbearable to watch; however, I sit and watch.

I watch because we need to see. Anderson Cooper (CNN) said that as he walked along the streets of Port-Au-Prince, he made himself look at the dead people that lined the streets because we need to see them and acknowledge that those bodies are people. Moms, dads, sisters, brothers, grandmas, grandpas, sons, daughters, friends, babies, children, friends, mentor, teacher, missionary...all beloved of the LORD. We need to acknowledge their existence and the loss. We need to see that they are a people that have truly lost everything. They have less than nothing. No food, very little clean water, too little medical care for too many major injuries, no homes or anywhere safe to go. Children are alone and sleeping on the streets.

As I sit and watch, the news is reporting that mass graves are starting to be used. While I acknowledge that there is a need for such a thing, the concept makes the loss so much more real for me. Unidentified people who are being searched for by family and friends are being buried in huge graves. There will be no funeral or ceremony. Families will never get to say good-bye to the remains of their loved-ones, so closure will have to come some other way.

So, I will continue to watch. I will make myself see when my mind tells me to change the channel because there is so little I can do from my comfortable house in the United States. I want to acknowledge Haiti's loss and grieve for them. I want to triumph with them when help comes and head-way is made. I want to pray for the parents who lost their children, children who lost their parents, and families separated by physical distance. I want to pray that God would protect the minds and hearts of the children who are seeing too much for their young minds to comprehend and deal with; I will pray that we will be the hands and feet of Jesus to the Haitians, and that God will be glorified through this tragedy.

There are some simple ways to help. Click HERE for legitimate ways to help. Even if you think you have no money, you have way more than these people.