Haiti: 1 Year Later

"Dear Jesus, please bless India, Haiti, and Uganda. Please help the poor people to get money from the rich, and help the rich not to mind."   --Adrianne, 7

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." --Luke 18:17

I feigned a more pious prayer by burying my head in my hands as Adrianne prayed. The truth was I was embarrassed by my tears at her prayer. As I explained my reaction to her simple, pure prayer of faith for the people of Haiti and for the poor to her parents, longsuffering smiles appeared on their faces,

"Yes, she prays almost that exact prayer every night."

Every night. This sweet, beautiful girl prays for Haiti every single night. "When was the last time I prayed for Haiti?" I thought in panic. A few days ago? Last week? "But," I comforted myself, "I talk about Haiti a lot. I blog about it. I send money." Isn't that always the way? We so quickly tire of "just praying." We either feel a need to do "more" or we simply get frustrated with praying the same prayer every night, as God has called us to do, and move on. I realized, as we marveled at her unwavering faith that, what we write off as simplicity or a lack of creativity, God sees as faithfulness, faithfulness that puts me to shame.

God help me to be more like Adrianne.

On January 12, 2010 Haiti was hit with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. This disaster came on the heels of a catastrophic hurricane season and was followed by severe aftershocks and a year filled with devastation and disease.

A year has passed and God has been amazingly faithful. Much has been done, but Haiti is still in severe distress. Even a cursory glance at photos or the first hand accountsof those who are currently serving in Haiti makes this painfully obvious. Educate yourself, let your heart be broken for Haiti, let yourself be moved.

Please join Adrianne and continue pray daily for this deeply troubled country, pray for the hurting people, pray for the leadership, pray for those in Haiti who are working tirelessly not only for healing and reconstruction but for lasting and sustainable justice and security in a country that has never experienced such things.

For some great information on the state of Haiti today, World Vision has a comprehensive one year report available here. You can also watch this short video from Richard Stearns, president of World Vision: Haiti Earthquake 1 Year Later.

You can also donate to help Haiti through Compassion International: Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. Current photos of Compassion's work in Haiti are available at haiti.compassion.com.

But if simply giving money is not enough for you, you can now sponsor a child from Haiti or from an equally desperate region. Child sponsorship is not an investment in a cause, rather it is an investment in a person. When you write your letters and send your support, you are telling that child that you believe in them, that you choose them. The value is incalculable though the cost is right around $1 a day.

For a firsthand account of the impact of encouraging a child in poverty, you can read Elissain Jean Jacque's story here.

If you do not currently sponsor a child, I deeply encourage to you seriously consider doing so. It is one of the greatest things you will ever be part of. If you do sponsor a child, pray about sponsoring another! Visit www.compassion.com or www.worldvision.org to find out more information.

"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." --1 John 3:17-18

God, may we be moved not by guilt or by a need to "do something" but by your spirit. Lord, may we not tire in the work that you've put before us, may we not tire of being brokenhearted for the people of Haiti.

God, please help us all to be more like Adrianne.

Thanks for loving Haiti,
--Sarah Elizabeth