Sadness and Despair in Haiti

By now everyone has heard about the horrific 7.0 earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. I, like everyone else, am trying to make sense of this disaster which has hit a country that already had more suffering in it that is imaginable. There are many people who have done mission work in Haiti in orphanages and other areas and for them my heart is heavy as they have personal first hand experience with the people of this country. It is just horrible to watch the images on television but to know that there are people who are willing and trained to go minister in these situations is the heart warming part of this story. Sometimes disasters bring out the best in people and somehow the love of God becomes evident to others in the simple offering of a bottle of water. My heart is breaking today, though, for this country, for the people who are still to be rescued and for the families involved who have no idea where their loved ones are.

Of course there are so many organizations that are mobilized and ready to help at this point which is such a wonderful thing. The United Methodist Church always has such a great way of stepping in and they are taking donations on their website----if you are so inclined please contribute as UMCOR is one of the best organizations at getting your complete donation to the area that needs aid.
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/

The Red Cross is also doing a pretty neat thing---if you text the word Haiti to 90999 you will be able to donate $10 immediately to help those in Haiti. A confirmation text will come back to you and a simple answer YES will allow you to donate $10 which will be added onto your mobile phone bill. Pretty simple and fast way to make a small donation. If everyone who has a cell phone does this simple donation millions will be raised. What a great thing to do and it means giving up one meal out to make the donation to help.

God is there in Haiti---even though it is so hard to understand when disasters like this happen---we KNOW that He is there and my prayer is that the Haitian people will feel His presence and his loving arms around them. On my knees today for those who are suffering.