Help for Haiti

I'll be honest. I don't even remember how I heard about the horrible earthquake in Haiti and it was only days ago. I do remember thinking, "How sad," and going about whatever I was doing. I am ashamed that that was my initial reaction, but soon after I realized how devastating the earthquake truly was, I couldn't think about much else.

I had little knowledge of Haiti before this earthquake. In high school, my family went on a cruise and one of the stops was on the cruise line's private island. This island was in Haiti. We went on a jet ski trip around the island and stopped at a few different places to listen to the guide tell us some facts about the island. During one of our stops on the other side of the island, we saw a group of young Haitian children on the shoreline with some adults (assumed to be their parents). As we were sitting on our jet skis listening to the guide, the children paddled out in makeshift boats to us and began to beg. The guide instructed us to not look them in the eye because if we did, they would try to climb atop our jet skis. We went on our way soon after, leaving young, poverty stricken children in the choppy ocean in boats that were most likely made of trash and quite dangerous.

I haven't stopped thinking about those kids for the past few days. Where are they now? Are they alive? Are they orphans or trapped in a pile of rubble? I also can't stop thinking about being told to not even give these children eye contact. Were they not human? SO WHAT if they climbed on our jet ski? I can think about particularly rough days I've had where some eye contact and a smile from a stranger lightens my load or some physical contact from a loved one soothes my soul. What if that's all those children needed? At the time, I didn't think much of it, but now, I can't stop.

The people in Haiti had nothing to begin with and are now left with even less. For many of these Haitians, the only thing they had was family and even that has been ripped away. My heart aches, my eyes cloud with tears, and my face floods with embarrassment when I think of my petty worries and anxieties. We have so much and they have next to nothing. I complain that my pants are too tight when most of these people don't have the luxury of "too much food" or even clean water. I go on and on about what else I'd like to do to my house while home to these people is the street. I feel sorry for myself because I don't live close to my family and many of these people have lost their families for good. When things like this are put in perspective, you can't help but feel humbled, sick and thankful all at once. It makes me long to introduce these hurting people to the One who will always be consistent no matter what our circumstances. The One that allows us to have everything that we truly need-- if only I could remember that on a daily basis.

I have a friend (who is actually more like a cousin), Kristin, who is a missionary with her husband (Dave) in the Dominican Republic. Her husband's brother and sister-in-law (Tim & Paola-- Paola is 8 months pregnant) are actually missionaries in Port-au-Prince. They are safe, praise the Lord. Kristin is raising whatever money she can to help the effort to find the missing and keep those who are alive healthy and safe. Kristin has been very involved with Haitian orphans and she is experiencing the pain and loss as some of her close friends have been missing since the earthquake. Please pray for Tim, Paola, Dave, Kristin, and all of the others involved in their current nightmare.

Last night, Tyler and I decided to participate with Crystal at Money Saving Mom and her quest to help those who are in such need. We want to know-- how have you helped? Have you prayed, gotten things together to donate, texted the Red Cross to donate $10 on your next phone bill? The little things most certainly count and it doesn't matter what you can give as long as you do give in someway, whether that is through prayer, fasting, monetary gifts, goods, etc. Would you write a blog post about whatever you have done to help Haiti? After doing so, come back and link up below. If you don't have a blog, feel free to simply leave a comment. For every comment and/or link I receive in the next 24 hours, Ty and I will donate $0.25 to Kristin and Dave to help the Haitian people. This may not seem like much, but it's what we can do right now and still be financially responsible. :)

Thank you in advance for all that you are doing to help those in Haiti, whether or not you choose to blog or comment. My prayer for the Haitian people is an echo of Psalm 9:9-- "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.