Its been almost two years since I traveled to Haiti, but the faces and places I visited are still near in my heart.
As the news of the earthquake came to me that Tuesday, I was transported in an instant to be with Guillo and Francklin at the pastor training center in Port-Au-Prince – now destroyed. To be with Jonathan, a pastoral student who was our driver and guide – how are he and his dear wife with whom we shared a wonderful dinner? To be with Jean-Manuel, a university student who I talked to at length, as he came to church seeking what it might mean to know and follow God. To be with the beautiful, precious children that I held and hugged and watched their faces transformed with smiles, intrigued by this white man and the hair on his arms as I handed out candy. To be with Pastor Emmanuel and the amazing people at Value Baptist Church. It was there that I experienced some of the most passionate and authentic worship of God I have ever seen, from a people who walked miles and climbed a mountain to come to church together.
Where are they all today? How many have lost everything they own? How many have lost loved ones? How many are suffering from amputated arms or legs, crushed by the building that collapsed? How many are orphaned and abandoned, separated from family by death or destruction or just the chaos? How many are widowed and in need of comfort and hope?
Tears stream down my face as I type these words and my heart aches, for these are not just faces from a photo or video on CNN. These are people I know – fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters to someone. Friends and brothers and sisters in Christ to me who are in need of our help.
1 John 3:16-18
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Will you help us help them? We at World Orphans are working implement disaster relief and long term holistic care for those affected in Haiti by connecting YOU, individuals and churches here in the U.S., with strategic churches in Haiti who are reaching out and caring for the people in their communities.
Whether you want to give a one time or monthly donation, or whether you want information on how your church can partner with us, please take a minute to email me, mark @worldorphans.org
You can give securely online now at www.WorldOrphans.org/Haiti
For more information about the Haiti Orphan Relief Team (HORT), a collaborative effort of ministries that World Orphans is a part of, go to http://haitiorphanreliefteam.blogspot.com
Dinner with our Haitian ministry friends - Guillo & family, Jonathan & his wife, and my friend Francklin
The beautiful kids from Vallue Baptist Church outside Port-Au-Prince
Palace with our driver Jonathan
Palace after the earthquake
I totally agree with you, made me really sad and still am, I think anybody who can should try to help in any way they can, I did.
By: Allison Crawford on January 29, 2010
at 10:25 pm
Mark, your article moved me as I hd forgotten about your trip to Haiti. It’s hard for me to grasp the suffering of these people! As if they didn’t already have enough problems, right? What saddens me most now is that since some time has passed Haiti and it’s pain has been reduced to a few words running at the bottom of the screen in order to make room for the neverending nonsense that is politics these days.
Many of us are with you, Mark, as you continue to pray and ache for these…God’s people.
By: kristen piver on January 30, 2010
at 5:54 am