I found myself crying this morning, as I am now, and I wondering what all the suffering is for. What is the purpose? If you believe in God you look to Him for answers. I am still praying for those answers to come.
I see the pictures of the children who have been hurt, killed, orphaned...and I see Miles. I literally see his face everywhere. You can't help but think, "What if that was MY child who was suffering?" The pain of that thought is truly too much. But I see his face because he literally looks like so many of the children in the pictures and video coming out of Haiti. It's inevitable that we should hug our kids a little tighter and thank God that they are safe. But what about the thousands of children right now who aren't safe? What about the kids who are scared and lonely and hungry and cold? Who will hug them??
Of course this has nothing to do with me, my feelings or how we all deal with this internally. It has everything to do with how we respond to it.
We can pray. I believe in the power of prayer. But of course the power of prayer is not in the ones praying it, it is in the ONE who is hearing our prayers.
We can give. Two organizations that I trust and am going to donate to are Lutheran World Relief and the American Red Cross.
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I too have been overwhelmed, but I also see hope. I see neighbors helping neighbors, crushed hotels opening their doors and scores of people admiting that it is pure horror, but that these are Haitian people. These are people that have risen above horrible things in the past and will rise again. It will take time, and there will be lost and suffering children, but perhaps the spirit of an amazing people will once again rise above the rubble.
ReplyDeleteI think you summed it up for me. I see my child and can't bare to watch it or look at it. I'm wanting to shelter myself from it all while knowing that is not the right thing to do but other then pray I can't help. I watch as parents try to make miracles happen to bring their children home and I pass on any info I see that might help them.
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