Because It Isn't Near Over

It isn't a hot topic on the news these days. If you want information, you have to dig around a bit. There are some big stories that will pop up- missionaries detained for allegedly kidnapping children, for example. But the real stories are so much harder to find. Unless you read blogs! I've still got that list of blogs over in my sidebar- missionary groups and people who are in Haiti, connected to Haiti, families who have gone and are going through adoption processes. Some of the blogs are still all about Haiti. Some are "mommy blogs" that have given very personal accounts of orphans and parents stranded in Haiti and the joyous homecoming and the transition back to normal family routines. Some are blogs from medical people working in Haiti- the people they help, the struggles they face. Some are passionate accounts of what they are seeing and hearing and experiencing. Not every blog is all about Haiti. Not every blog is current- I imagine life is pretty busy for a lot of these folks. There are still some journalists who are reporting on lives impacted by Haiti, by things happening in Haiti. The news coverage is fading. But the rainy season is coming in Haiti. So much still needs to be done. I know that I am powerless here in my snowy, safe, heated, comfortable home in Indiana. But I do believe in the power of prayer. And I do believe in the importance of sharing information, of storytelling, of spreading the word. So if you have some time... click over and visit those blogs. Even if the blog is current, leave a comment to let them know that you stopped by, that you appreciate the work they have done and are doing. If you read a good news story- something that catches your eye, stays in your heart- share it with others. Tweet it, post it on Facebook, give a link on your blog. I'd love to hear what you are passionate about these days. What is staying with you? What are you carrying in your heart and mind lately? What is a subject you want others to be in touch with?

Venting Compassion

I finally talked with Teagan about the earthquake. I hadn't known how to approach it with her. We've kept the kids sheltered from the news and such. But they are doing a mission thing for UMCOR health kits through Sunday School so I knew there was a chance she was going to hear about it somewhere. We sat down and talked about what "earthquake" means. And that the one in Haiti was a big one. And that the people of Haiti were already really, really poor and that the earthquake broke most of the homes and buildings. I did show her some pictures of rubble and broken houses- carefully screening and selecting which images she saw. We looked at a map to see where Haiti is located compared to Indiana, Ohio (where Grandma lives), and Florida (where Mimi and PopPop used to live and where she has friends go on vacation).

She asked if we could go to Haiti so we could help them. I told her that we can't go right now- but that maybe we can go when she is bigger. She smiled and hugged me.

She's not yet 5 and she's been venting compassion since she was 2 or 3 and started picking out toys to donate to Goodwill and started helping me pick out food to donate to the food pantry.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta wrote a blog entry last week about "venting compassion." Please take a moment to go and read it. And then reflect- do you vent compassion when faced with a crisis impacting others?

I saw a piece on CNN.com today about the distribution of aid in Haiti. I can't begin to know what the problems are or how to fix them. But my heart breaks when I see these people fighting to get to a relief truck full of bags of rice and they are being forced back, sprayed with pepper spray, in an effort to keep the peace. It's been reported that many in Haiti are only getting to eat about once every three days. And that isn't a meal once every three days. That's some rice. Maybe some beans. A snack- 1 time every 3 days. Parents have to watch their children starving, dying from dehydration.

I've read stories of awful medical situations... stories that are heartbreaking and hard to read. But also stories that bring hope and are uplifting.

I don't have answers and won't pretend to know how to fix or help the people in Haiti or the helpers in Haiti. The only thing I can do is pick up items for health kits when I go to the store... and pray. I continue to make daily visits to the list of blogs in my sidebar and my goal is to leave a comment on each one each day to let them know that I am praying for them, that there is support and concern and hope and love from far away. It isn't much- but it is my own way of venting compassion. The news about Haiti is already fading. The reporters are leaving the ground, heading home. The stories aren't getting the same attention and you have to search a bit to stay informed. But the people of Haiti are still in crisis. It hasn't gone away, the crisis hasn't been stopped, the needs haven't been met.

I hope that we can all make a commitment to keeping Haiti- more importantly, the people of Haiti- in out hearts and minds. That we don't forget them or their situation. That while we can't physically fix the problem, we can be mindful of what is going on in our world.

And that there are countless ways to to vent compassion now, in the future, for Haiti, for others.

Where Is God?

On my Haiti post, Seth left a comment- "I am tired of God allowing so much pain to occur in our world....." I won't claim to have the answers. But those words... I could feel the hurt and confusion. I've been in life situations that involve deep hurts and I've questioned why bad things happen. Sometimes it is easy to point to a person and see that they are making evil choices, that they are led by Satan, that they don't follow God's path. Sometimes, we are left with questions that have no answers. And the earthquake in Haiti is certainly the type of disaster that leaves us wondering... how could this happen? Why did this happen? The very hard thing about being human is that we have free will. We have independence. We have the ability to make our own choices- and suffer the consequences and reap the rewards of those choices. Because we have free will, there will be people who don't always follow a good path and will hurt others, kill others, destroy lives and families. There are always going to be natural disasters. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis... devastating disasters. Hard to see the suffering, hard to accept that these awful things occur. I think Haiti is even harder to witness because there was already so much pain, suffering, poverty. I guess I could point to the government, the police, the corruption and say those are people misled by someone evil, somewhere. This brings me comfort but will leave more questions for others. I don't need to point to the evil. I don't need to know why. I accept that natural disasters happen, evil things happen, people get hurt, are hurt, are abused, are killed I don't need an answer to why. Because I have faith. I believe that God gives us independence, free will. I believe that God is with us- especially in the most difficult times. I guess I feel like God has to "allow" the bad things to happen because that's part of having free will. Our life on earth isn't about living a calm, content, peaceful, happy life. That would have been the Garden of Eden. Life is about making the best choices we can in whatever the circumstances. When terrible things happen, I don't question God's purpose or involvement or seek answers to unanswerable questions. Instead, I have faith that God was there when the earthquake hit. He carried his children home because it was their time to go. He protected some, he soothed and comforted others. He cried with us and for us. Instead of looking to God for answers or to place blame, I remember His entire purpose in our lives- and sometimes that includes death. No one likes to say this next part... but I also believe that there are good things that comes out of bad things. I wouldn't be who I am if I hadn't survived all that I did. We are formed by the events that happen around us and to us- good and bad. I won't say that God set up my life so that I would be abused by my cousin. But I will say that God gave me the tools and opportunities to do something positive and right with that life experience. Where is God? Closer than you can imagine. How can He allow this to happen? Because He "allows" everything to happen- good and bad. To me, God isn't controlling everything that happens. God is grace, hope, solace, love.

URGENT: Indy Families Who Are Eligible To Adopt

If you live in the Indianapolis area... if you are feeling called to adopt a child from Haiti...

I don't know all the requirements- But there is a plane of orphans coming from Haiti to Indy and Safe Families is looking for homes for all of them. The response has been very good so far but they really want to find qualified families as permanent placements for these babies and children.

Please visit the Safe Families Haiti blog for more information!!!

Haiti

I wish I could say that I know that everyone is heartbroken over what has happened in Haiti.

I wish I could say that everyone wants to be able to fix it, help, ease the pain.

I wish I could say that everyone is willing to go to any lengths to assist, to aid, to help, to heal.

But I've found out over the past couple of days that not everyone actually feels that way. That's a hard pill to swallow.

Some think the Haitians somehow brought this on themselves.

Some think our tax dollars shouldn't be spent on aiding the country, the people.

I'm thankful that there are people who see beyond the politics. I am thankful that there are organizations who are aided by government dollars and by private donations who are stepping up. I am thankful that there are individuals who have economic resources that are donating far more generously than I can.

I plan to donate things- I have sacks of little girl's clothing in Teagan's closet. A time will come when donations are needed as lives start to rebuild. I have excess in my home that someone else is now without. I'm content with waiting until my donation can be most helpful.

I pray. Often.

I've added a short list of bloggers I found that are in Haiti. Primarily US citizens who have given their lives to work in Haiti through ministry groups. I encourage you to visit their blogs and read their stories and to share words of encouragement with them. I've also added information about donating to an organization that I know gives all of your donation directly to those in need (donations don't go to administrative costs)- UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)- and that offers donation opportunities (non-financial).

What breaks my heart... when I think of Haiti, I think of orphanages already caring for children beyond their capacity... I think of poverty beyond anything I can imagine... I think of the slum villages built onto mountainsides... and when I think of the earthquake... and I see the pictures of crumbled orphanages, a children's hospital that is just a pile of rubble, the bodies layering the streets... and I hear about front end loaders and dump trucks being used to move bodies... and I think of the families who can't find loved ones, haven't heard from children, husbands, mothers...

Politics and Image suddenly don't seem so important, suddenly aren't part of the equation.