Heartbroken for Haiti

My heart hurts for the people of Haiti.

I have been wanting to write this post for over a week. But every time I tried, the words just didn't come. It was too overwhelming to think through and type out. I want this blog to be a happy place but life I can't leave out the reality of life. And if we were all silent when something hurt, healing might never come.

I'm sure by now, you've all read countless articles, seen dozens of pictures, cried tears and whispered desperate prayers. The news of devastation coming from Haiti continues after the strongest earthquake in more than 200 years. The quake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale, and was centered 10 miles from Port-Au-Prince, the nation’s largest city. In the days following even the aftershocks were large enough to cause significant damage and terrify the people trying to find their loved ones. A country that was already struggling, is in absolute chaos.

This is personal to me. My heart became attached to Haiti several years ago. When I decided to sponsor my beautiful Idson Etienne through Compassion International. I'm still not sure if he and his family are okay. Pictured below are the Compassion centers in the vicinity of the earthquakes, Idson is in center HA254 which I highlighted with the white circle and arrow. The dot with the red triangle is the center of the first quake.

While I pray and worry and wonder, I so easily feel completely depressed and despairing of the situation. The grief and pain for the people of Haiti is overwhelming. But as we know, great trials and suffering brings out the true character of human beings. People from many different countries are donating supplies, money, services and their very selves to helping the people of Haiti at this time. Bloggers are blogging, believers are praying, artists are using their talents and governments are acting on the behalf of those who cannot help themselves. Although my heart is broken for my little Idson's country, for his people, and how much they have suffered. I see a glimmer of hope. I have hope that those who have been tirelessly working for the orphaned and the impoverished before the earthquake might now be in the spotlight, making our world aware. I have hope that people who have never been interested in adoption, yet see the devastation of children who have fallen victim to circumstances might follow their heart and open their home. I have hope that while the Haitian people and all of the workers poring into their country work together, the unity of the human spirit will forge friendships and bonds that will last a lifetime... and change the world. I have hope that God can make beauty from ashes. I don't know how.... but I have hope.

Keep hoping and keep praying for miracles. Idson and his family and thousands of others need them.

For information on how to help, visit these organizations' websites:

American Red Cross
Food for the Hungry
Samaritan's Purse
Hands & Feet Project
World Vision
World Concern
Compassion International
YELE (send money with a simple text, set up by Haitian singer Wyclef Jean)

And for a really comprehensive list check out this article.

In hopeful anticipation

Do you feel it? Do you get the sense that something good is coming? When I'm not focusing on all the mundane and trivial things of the here and now, I stop and I feel it. Good things are coming....the flowers are pushing their way up out of the soil, the air is getting a little warmer, new lives are being birthed all around us.

I'm thinking of my beautiful friend, Jill, and her girls. I remember at exactly this time 6 years ago, I was a senior in college, anticipating and eagerly working towards my Senior Art Exhibit and graduation. She was at the end of her third trimester, eagerly anticipating the birth of her first baby girl. We shared in each other's joy and accomplishment. We looked forward with expectancy and trepidation to how our lives would change in this new season. We had tremendous hope.

Now my wonderful friend Aimee is eagerly anticipating her first baby. A bouncing baby boy. As I gather a care package to send to her...I find myself excited. Eager. Hopeful. For a new little person to enter the world, bringing joy and blessing to his parents.

But even more than the weather and new life....I'm anticipating the Easter holiday. Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Resurrection/Easter Sunday....for some reason I look forward to the celebration more this year. Maybe it's because this year I've had my share of sorrow. Maybe it's because I've started looking forward to celebrations and remembrances. Maybe it's because my heart's cry is for more of Jesus. How I would have loved to be amongst the women that saw their glorified Savior. I can just imagine the tears, the fear, the excitement when I tried to tell the others of what I had seen and experienced. And how I would want to cling desperately to Him when said He was leaving....only to come back one day. I have experienced the resurrected presence of the living God. And I want more. If you ever see me crying, shaking, stumbling over myself trying to tell you about Him....it's because my words could never do justice to who He is and the love he has for us. But I desperately want you to know.

Most of the time you'll see me doing completely mundane things, going to work, cooking food, taking care of my home, doing laundry.....but I have a little secret. I know there's more! I have the complete assurance and utter HOPE of more! This isn't all there is for me....

What will we celebrate this spring? What will we fix our hopeful, tender hearts on?