Monday, January 18, 2010

Haiti. Tears. Beauty.

Yesterday morning, the eight members of our worship team gathered to spend time praying before rehearsal, as is our custom.

The subject of Haiti was brought up and we all agreed that the country desperately needed our prayers. As we began to pray together, it was incredibly moving to sense palpable love, to feel genuine compassion, and to see real tears.

We were a group of sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, gathered in a circle on a small island in North Carolina. We had gathered to pray for sons and daughters, sisters and brothers on another island whom we had never met. And never will meet.

But the human connection was there. The family connection was there.

We were all thinking, “How would I feel if it were MY daughter screaming in the chaos? Or MY mom’s body being piled on a truck, to be hauled off to a mass grave?”

Our hearts hurt simply because fellow human beings also had hearts that hurt.

And as we prayed for those precious people in pain, beauty emerged. The beauty of tears, that showed compassion. The beauty of time taken to pray for people whose pain is beyond imagination. The beauty of understanding that the labels “Haitians” and “Americans” don’t really exist. Not deep down where it counts.

No. Deep down where it counts, the only labels that define us are sons and daughters, sisters and brothers.

Humans.

All of us in need of miracles in many sizes and shapes. All of us in need of a Heavenly Father to comfort, to protect, to heal, to wipe our tears away.

Beauty came to church yesterday morning. Beautiful hearts prayed over broken lives. And wept. And cared. (And later in the service, also gave.)

Haiti. Tears. Beauty.

-hands

7 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Sue G said...

Brava, my friend. Eloquent. Simple. Touching.

Just the way truth is supposed to be delivered.

Anonymous said...

My husband has been to Haiti three times, and on his first trip he met Josue Deleon..a college student at Christianville, Haiti. Two summers later, Josue came to the U.S. and lived with us while he earned his Master's Degree at UT Knoxville. After that, he returned to Haiti and married his childhood sweetheart. He is the Dean of Christianville College now, and they have a little baby girl that they named Kim. :)
We have not met Kim yet. They were applying for a Visa for the baby in recent weeks. When the earthquake hit we were really scared, but also remembered that God had already been with Josue through so many things. Within 2 hours, we got an e-mail from him telling us he's ok..and his family and all his students are ok. We are so thankful! The college was very much damaged, and we know their work to survive and recover is only beginning. Thank you so much for your prayers for the people of Haiti. They are amazing. I would love your specific prayers that we will meet little Kim one day.
Much love from Kingston, TN
~ Kim Waggoner

Catherine Anne said...

Yes much prayer needed. I wish so badly I could do something then I think ok Lord I hear you I can pray pray pray... Great post

A Mom's Serious Blunder... said...

A teacher from the school I work at was in Haiti with a group from her church. She said the devestation is not be believed. Her eyes could not take it all in, her brain just refused to process it all. The group was flown out of Haiti by an Icelandic airplane delivering supplies. They did not want to leave but were not equipped to stay...they would have had to gone into survival mode too and that would have been no help to anyone. It puts lifes challanges into perspective when you see a tragedy of that magnitude. Even with my life's challanges of late, I do still have a family, food, water, warm clothes and a house to live in. Haiti is in my prayers.

MaryH said...

Beautiful, Becky. My good friend's daughter (Lisa) has been to Haiti three times - she is an architect and had designed and oversaw the building of a hospital and clinic and housing for the doctors who volunteer to come and give medical aid to the people of Haiti. I spent Saturday evening with my friend. She was relieved to report that her daughter's hospital had survived, was being used to help the injured and sick and that all the people her daughter had come to know and love in Haiti had escaped injury. Her daughter loves this country and I am sure the thoughts, prayers and tears you experienced Sunday are exactly what Lisa has been feeling and sharing and enduring ever since she heard of this tragedy in her other homeland - Haiti. Thank you for sharing. We all must help in any way we can.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that was a great post! I am new visitor to your blog, and can see from one post what a loving heart you have. So glad I visited!

-Kristi in IA

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