Oh, Haiti, My Haiti

We were out celebrating the boys' birthday when I received a call from my dad. Haiti had been hit by a 7.0 earthquake, the most severe one to hit in over 200 years. A disaster like that would shake any nation or community but it will paralyze this nation. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. If a quake shook one of our towns, we'd have back up support, disaster relief teams, troops, you name it. Haiti has no back up plan. Day in and out most Haitians are fighting just to survive. There is no middle class in Haiti, only the poorest of the poor and a small percentage of very wealthy people. They will depend on other nations to assist them and heal their land from the latest tragedy.

I went on my first trip to Haiti when I was 17 years old. I had a dear friend who had gone ahead of me, three years earlier. We wrote letters for the year she lived there and when she married the missionaries' son, I was one of her bridesmaids. Her influence and colorful accounts of life on the mission field got the best of my curiosity. When our youth group decided to go, I am certain I was the first one to sign up. Once I stepped foot on that little island, met the beautiful people who live around the mission, the rest was history. A piece of my heart would always remain in Haiti.

During my senior year of high school, while most of my classmates planned their college experiences, I was raising funds and packing a years' supply of long skirts, head coverings (yes, I had to wear a covering in church), shampoo, malaria medication and lots and lots of bug spray. In January 1993, I entered the country for a one year stay. I knew my life would never be the same. After my year, I went back into Haiti on several short term teams. When I became a mommy in 1998, those trips ceased but my love for the country has always been alive.

I love the people of Haiti, especially the children. There are children everywhere! And, just because I was a fair skinned, blond haired American ("Blanc"), they loved me...My favorite memories include entering the villages and having swarms of kids attached to every part of me...several hanging from each arm, hands reaching out to touch my hair or carry my Bible or my trusty tambourine (I never did learn how to play that thing), more hands trying to take my sunglasses. Intense, but oh so precious. When my dear roommate and friend, M and I found out that the local voodoo priest's children lived there, we went to invite them to church. The excuses were typical, "They didn't have a bath," "They have nothing nice to wear," and so on. M and I started going early to the village and offered to bathe the children and get them ready for church. I remember holding those precious babies and praying over them as we worshipped. I may never see them again on this earth, but I pray I will see them again one day in heaven.

The memories have been flooding back all day. I saw some footage of the clinic where I worked, now a building condemned because the walls and foundations are cracked. It grieves my heart, because I know how long it took to get those buildings up and running. Everything in Haiti takes time and patience, now they will have to rebuild so many things. And yet, I rejoice that very few near the mission were lost. There are some reports of death, but nothing like the area near Port Au Prince.

We have other connections in the devastated areas. D and I are talking about getting his passport updated so he can go in with a relief team in a month or so. At this point, I think his muscles will be put to good use and I should remain home with the boys. Don't get me wrong, I want to go, but it's a matter of finances to get him there and that seems like the best plan for now.

There is one other issue that is so very heavy on my heart...For so long, I have dreamed of adopting a child (or two) from Haiti. I did a lot of research years ago, but then I had to tuck away those dreams, the timing just was not right. Recently, the stirrings have been getting stronger. The boys ask me, at least weekly, "When are we going to adopt?" The past twenty-four hours have shook me to the core, as I think of all the little ones who are left without families and homes. My forever child/ren might be in the midst of this nightmare and for now there is very little that I can do. All day, I've covered them in a blanket prayer..."Lord, You know the precious little ones that will need a place to call home. Stir in the hearts of those who You are calling to pursue adoption, make a way for us to do this in a timely manner..." I don't even know where to start, but I am asking the Lord for His supernatural intervention.

In closing, I share this...Pray for supernatural provisions, for occurrences that can only be credited to the One who was and is and is to come. The One who loves Haiti with an everlasting love, Who is drawing her with His loving kindness. Pray for repentance for those who follow the enemy and are entrenched in the wickedness of voodoo, that they will forsake the ways of eternal death and turn to the One who came to bring life. The only hope for Haiti is Jesus. Period. No amount of government or humanitarian aid can save Haiti. Only Jesus. He words ring true, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 This verse rings true for the nation of Haiti...and for our own nation. Bring us to our knees, Lord.

Isaiah 61:1-7
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.