Today the situation in Haiti became a little more "real" for me, as I recieved word today that missionary friends of mine, ministering in Haiti for the past 7 yrs, with their 2 young children, have not been heard from since the quake. The place they were teaching at is apparently "nothing but a pile of rubble". I'm praying for answers and wonder just whether they will be found. It's hard to not lose hope in times like this, when you see all that stands in the way of the "happy ending" you want to believe in. You see image after image on the news of the destruction, of the dead... "Will this country ever recover from this?"
It's brought again to mind the loss of my friends in the Tsunami in December of 2004, who were also missionaries. I'm thankful to have many friends who are missionaries serving around this world, and am grateful for what they do, and the difficulties they overcome to spread the word of Christ to the nations, but when tragedies like these strike they feel much closer to home for me, and the loss is felt deep. I pray that what they have done for those countries will not be forgotten, but will live on, through a child, a person they met, however it can happen! God placed them there, in those countries, for a reason, even though right now it is difficult to understand the "whys" of what has happened.
There is comfort though in knowing that God knows what is in my heart, the hurt, the sadness, the grief, the questions, the anger.....so many emotions go through a person. Yet even in all those emotions, I know that if God has taken them heavenward, as sad as I may be down here on earth, I know they are rejoicing in heaven with their Father, and I have to find strength and joy in that....somehow!
"Father God, be with the nation of Haiti, for the people there, and around the world, searching for answers and loved ones. Let people come to You through this tragedy. Help them to rebuild, and come out stronger. I pray that we, as Christians, would not have a deaf ear to the crys of your people there, but to do whatever we can, even if it is to pray. Give us compassion for that place! Give us your heart, and your love for those people! They are your children! Help us to remember that while we may be here in Canada, or the USA, or wherever we are, in our cozy homes and eating food on the table, with our loved ones around us, to stop and think of those in Haiti who have suffered such loss that we can't even fathom! Give us humility in these times Lord, and to be thankful for what we have, and not take those for granted. In Your Name Dear Jesus, Amen!"
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