Earthquake - Day 9
Today is January 21, 2010 - Nine days since the catastrophic earthquake hit Port au Prince, Haiti. For some reason, today has been a very emotional one for me. I think during these past 9 days we have all mercifully been in shock and so disoriented that there has been no allowance to fully let go and feel the magnitude of suffering that has, and still is, taking place. I’m not sure if any of us who have worked with, and shared community with Haitians, for any length of time actually have a place in our spirits to process, compartmentalize or express what this is doing to us.
It certainly is not a burden we could have prepared in any way to carry. It goes far beyond feeling helpless, although, we do feel helpless in light of the mountain of needs. It is an endless spinning of the mind where you can’t stop imagining how those poor people can take this, right into the knowing that you must stop those thoughts or you will spin right into a dark hole that may get too deep to get out of. The best I, the best PWP, the best any of us can do at this point is to let our compassion move us to action. We must take whatever action we can and know that is never going to be enough, but it is good. It is right. It is humane. IT IS OUR COMMISSION.
For those of us who are followers of the way of Jesus, we know that we cannot turn our eyes, our ears, our hearts from the cry of the poor. What seems so different about his tragedy is that the cry from Haiti seems to be so piercing that no one can shut it out. The world is literally responding. We must also embrace this as good. We must see that this universal joining of humanity for the sake of humanity is good. A lesson. A demonstration. A declaration. A return to The Source Of Love that is responding in a way some of us may only have a slight, primal memory of. That “thing” that reminds us we are all one. We are all members of the human race. We all matter.
PWP is a small registered charity and although we do not have the resources to contribute to the mass disaster relief effort, we are determined to be part of this river of hope. We are invested and determined to be part of the restoration. Our aim will likely stay focused on rebuilding through the provision of education and job creation for Haitians. However, we will do what we can with the support that comes in, to make sure we meet the immediate needs of our staff in Haiti and any others we can until there is a break in this traumatizing situation.
I will go to Cap-Haitien to meet with our staff from February 2 -12 to plan and prepare for the difficult days to come. I will go in humility to gleam from their ingenuity and strength that has seen them through generations of struggle. Together in solidarity and unity of spirit we will figure out the best way for PWP to continue. Please –please keep your prayers and your financial support coming in. Please stay in this river of hope with us for as long as it takes. Remember this Haitian proverb as you pray “When all the fireflies shine the way for one another they all fly in a greater light”
Posted on Thursday, January 21 2010, at 1:33 PM.