When the news first hit the airwaves concerning a massive earthquake in Haiti, little attention was given to the severity. There have been rumblings here and there, but who would have thought that 10 short miles below the surface of Port-au-Prince a massive 7.0 earthquake was to ravage the city, and bring devastation beyond comprehension?
With each passing day the magnitude of the disaster is trickling into the media and the images are beyond gruesome. Latest estimates are saying as many as 100 000 lives have been lost, and a sharp rise is expected.
Some video clips that have made it onto the web are horrific, and can only leave us imagining the full scope of this nightmare that has unfolded on the nation of Haiti.
Watching the shear desperation on the faces of the people, dealing with the aftermath, must impact even the bravest of souls. Entire families have been wiped out. Children have been pulled from rubble, with missing limbs, others have waited in agony at clinics for help and treatment and care, only to die in the queue.
Every agency across the USA that has expertise in dealing with these scenarios has been called upon to step forward and help. Nations across the world have without hesitation loaded cargo planes and ships with food and medical supplies en route for Haiti, to help rescue those who are still alive, medically treat the injured, feed and cloth the hungry, and help to rebuild this nation in her hour of need.
Bringing some kind of spiritual balance to this mayhem is difficult. Did the Lord intend to crush this city with devastation? I do not believe so. Are the people of Haiti paying for their involvement in witchcraft? Knowing the love that Christ has for humanity, and His extended grace, so often abuse, I am unable to make such a connection. Is it right for those in spiritual authority and places of Godly recognition to make such calls? I hazard to say it is right. I don’t believe this is a time to psycho-analyze why such a significant disaster occurred, and which spiritual entity is to blame. For the church to hint this is God’s way of retribution, before judgment would be erroneous, and to say it is a result of evil prevailing above a nation might be presumptuous, for the time being.
What is of greater importance is what position we all as believers take during such a major catastrophe. If world agencies can rush to their rescue before drawing a conclusion as to why this happened, then for us the call to fall to our knees and cry out to the Lord for the people of Haiti, to find comfort, healing, salvation across every dimension of existence, and every other possible need to be fulfilled – then we ought to lay aside our own lives and seek the Lord for them earnestly.
This is not a time to judge a nation that is in need of every possible form of help they can get. Be it fresh running water, a piece of bread, a shirt for their back, and a place to once again call home, while these agencies set about doing the work they are trained for, let us as believers in Christ set about doing what we are trained for; Standing in the gap for these people, praying for their comfort, for healing, for every emotional wound to be made whole, for physical pain, anguish, anxiety and stress to be quelled by the very same grace that one day saved you and I.
A call to pray for the people of Haiti; a call to seek the Lord for this people; a call to bring healing and peace, restoration and rebuilding of shattered lives, in their hour of need.
As believers we can balance the humanitarian aide by introducing Christ into the midst of those who need Him more than life itself. Please support the people of Haiti in prayer, if you decide to help with finance be cautious and use only agencies that are specialized in these types of situations. Below are some links you might consider using if you donate finance:
The International Rescue Committee
Doctors Without Borders
Save The Children
Partners In Health
CARE
**I am in no way partnered or linked to these organizations, and urge you to exercise wisdom and caution in making any online donations to organizations that are not legitimate and prey on innocent people desiring to do good and help those in their time of need.
This youtube clip is referring to the testimony below in the comments, Karen’s friend’s husband was rescued…3 days later!! What a testimony!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKjttC4SZ4g]
