I cannot help but watch to see how the world will treat the nation of Haiti. I'm really watching because they are a people of color who have traditionally been treated rather cold and bold by America and the rest of the world. According to the news, Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. That means, we have a country who have sustained a major earthquake with massive loss of life and property, where poverty has already done its damage. It also means that, for the most part, other nations offering a helping hand cannot look for favors in return any time soon.
I'm watching the world but I also have my eye on people in general. I'm pleased that so many folk have a heart for what the people of Haiti are experiencing and many of them have responded with acts of kindness. Even those who have so little are digging deep to be helpful. Churches and other communities of faith are rolling up their sleeves and getting busy helping out. There are always those who search for reasons to refuse helping. They mention the scams that are usually alive and well during efforts like this; as well as the fact that other people are hurting too!
However, our focus should be on responding to the move of God in this situation. Haiti provides us with an opportunity to be the Christians we ought to be. The door is open for us to pray and to help. The needs are great and the suffering is severe. The people of Haiti are our brothers and sisters. From the news reports we can see the innocent eyes and faces of people who are now struggling to put their lives back together again. Support from people like you and me helps to make that possible. We become the instruments of God to bring relief to those who suffer.
Pastor Amos Eugene and the First Haitian Baptist Church have been our partners for years. We have enjoyed a blessed relationship for more than twenty-five years now. I have preached in Port au Prince and Grand River Haiti and made wonderful friends as well. Pastor Eugene also provides leadership to the Haitian Baptist Mission. There he guides the mission team in providing much needed resources to individuals and families from food, to shelter to medical care. I have seen first-hand the positive impact of mission-minded people who care enough to help.
Search your heart and seek the will of God for how you will help in this cause. Be generous and keep the pictures of their pain in mind. No one expected an earthquake in Haiti. None of us knew that we would have to come together to help a country get back to her feet. But, here we are. This is our reality and we must deal with it and do our best to make it through. By the way, while I'm watching the world to see how others will respond, I must respond as if the world is watching me. Blessings!
Pastor E.L. Branch
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Wow, you got me with your final statement... "while you're watching to see how the world responds, you must respond as if the world is watching you. If only we reacted that way in all situations.
I feel so bad for the people of Haiti and have been praying for a quick recovery. But, I must be honest. The thing I don't understand is why does all the pressure have to be on the US? Don't get me wrong I expect them to respond and to respond quickly. But, we are not the only country. We don't have all the resources. We don't even have the strongest dollar anymore. Again, while I think we should be right there helping and giving, I selfishly don't want all our resouces to go there. I selfishly don't want us to end up with Haitians moving to the US. I selfishly want them to continue to repair the still hurting New Orleans. I want singers/actors to raise the same type of money for people here who are trying to do right but at 55 lost their job/house/etc. I want us to show we care. But, I selfishly want that same care of urgency at home. Is that wrong?
CYB, I have some of ur same thoughts. It always appears that when there's a crisis outside the US, the US responds so boldly. Yet, we failed New Orleans. We continue to fail helping our own homeless and our own low income in urban and rural areas. We fail our children as far as educational inequality. Several Americans go outside of the US to adopt children, when there are so.... many within the US needing a home. Please understand that my heart goes out to Haiti! I have supported financially and I continue to pray for them. But I also do the same for any country that has a major disaster or any country OR state that is hurting for food, clothing and protection on a daily basis. Is it because the images of Haiti are so graphic and out of our "daily normal" that it causes those disasters to be more important than those daily issues us Americans seem to be immune to?
I can't help but wonder how great it would have been if the world had stepped in and assisted Haiti (in such huge proportions) before the Quake. Had we been proactive instead of reactive? After all, the cry had never quelled there. The Quake just opened up the worlds’ ears to here it. Too bad thousands and thousands of lives had to be lost in the interim.
Thankfully our church has always had a listening ear and an open heart to assist Haiti for years now. It makes me proud to know that my tithes and offering left the four walls of the local church and went into the “uttermost part of the world”.
Some days all of this is too much and we are left to wonder how to respond and what to do. Pastor I love your closing statement, “By the way while I'm watching the world to see how others will respond, I must respond as if the world is watching me”. How powerful and true. Maybe that’s the path forward. But it is still not without feelings of inadequacy and shame when I consider my blessings and the little that I have done in regards to Haiti. Maybe there is more for us all to do…I am listening.
Thank you Pastor for always putting issues into perspective for us. My heart aches for my brothers and sisters in Haiti, but I still feel the hand of God moving.
I am touched by your statement: “By the way while I'm watching the world to see how others will respond, I must respond as if the world is watching me”. All of the lessons about caring and loving others have come full circle in our lives.
The words of the Apostle stays close in my heart always..."in as much as you have done this unto the least of them...you have done it unto Me."
There are no easy answers to human suffering--not now nor in days gone by--regardless of how it has or will happen. Who can take up this cross? For sure, one needs to have carved in their heart the "low I am with you" scripture and even then still then expect to road to be tough. God is gracious because he has given us His word on how to care for the least of these. I/we are left with the assignment on the earth to give and give again our best in service. I thank God that he sends us Pastors, Prophets, Ministers and teachers to remind us of God and His love for us all.
Everyday I marvel at people of Haiti who (even now) can still rise in the morning after laying down to sleep on brick and stone; without food, water and bathroom facilities and still smile and sing "amazing grace". I admit I ran out the house the other day with no song and wondering why I am still so sleepy. With the world watching me now, I am in trouble. Thank you Pastor for the warm awakening. I am off to get my song and share the resources God has given me. I pray and encourage my neighbor to do the same. Keeping looking up..I am touched my everyone's thoughts on "Helping Haiti".
Cyb, you are totally right! Even the Bible agrees with you. "To whom much is given, much is required." Those individuals and nations with more should give more. However, that's not the way it usually works out. People with meager resources are often used of God to do great things. Haiti should be of concern to all of us. None of us are being asked to do what we cannot do. We should all do what we can. There are so many real issues that we couldn't name them all. But, we can't use the almost overwhelming issues as an excuse to do nothing. Now, Haiti needs our help. The other issues will still be there when this is done. God gives us passion for causes. Haiti may not be the passionate concern of some people, and that is understandable. If we do our best for Haiti it will demonstrate our ability to work together to meet needs in other areas as well. May you be blessed as you be a blessing to others.
Pastor Branch
It is great to know that we have had a relationship with one of key leader in the religious community in Haiti for over 25 years. God is watching us and has been watching us. I'm sure that we will continue to do what we have been doing and so much more.
Jesus told us to start at home and then go out into the utter most parts of the world. This includes Haiti. We have enough resources to help people here in the United States and in other countries when there is a great need, and this is a great need. We have to be mindful of what Pastor continuously tells us, "Give what you can." God is not asking us to give something that we don't have.
It's called sacrifice!
The people of Haiti are our brothers and sisters and when there is a need family should respond first. We can't wait to see what the rest of the world is going to do.
God bless us all!
I agree with you Pastor Branch that the world has an opportunity to do something incredibly transformative. The nations of the world have an opportunity to rise up demonstrate compassion on another level toward this historically neglected, poverty stricken nation.
I am moved by the resiliency of the Haitain people who have reached up to God and to one another during his horrific time. I also appreciate your ministry of network that has connected so many of us around the nation to the Haitian people. You are an amazing gift to the Body of Christ.
When our Brother and Sister are in trouble so are we.If we don't show and give our support(As long as it's from the depths of our hearts) then who? Yes we all struggle from time to time but it's nothing compared to their lost especially the children's that is without their parents..I Pray also for an speedily recovery.
With the recent tragedy in Haiti God has never left our side, I have faith that God will do what he does best - work through his people to be a blessing, the world will respond in its own way its left up to us in Christ to do what God has said in his word to be a blessing, if we get some of the little stuff right he will bless when we need him the most. Myprayer are for those who are affected by this situation, God created us in his own image therefore we should respond in love.
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