My Heart for Haiti

Last Saturday night, I had a dream that there was a major earthquake. I woke up feeling peaceful, yet knowing that I shouldn't be surprised if I heard of reports of an earthquake soon. I prayed that it wouldn't be near my family in California. I prayed in advance for God's peace and healing. I told Greg about the dream and kept hearing random references earthquakes throughout the day. Coincidence?...
I think not.
January 12, 2009. It happened. Haiti is hit with a devastating earthquake. My heart instantly hurt for those people like it has never hurt during a natural disaster before. I immediately knew that God had been stirring my heart to become an intercessor on behalf of the Haitian people.

Here is a blog that I have been following of a missionary family living in Haiti. I love hearing how God is using this precious family.

Here is a link to another blog. I have many close mutual friends down in Austin with the Ivey family. Currently, they are waiting for the adoption process to go through for Amos, who lives in Haiti. Their story has been featured on Good Morning America and other national news programs.

These stories are encouraging and compelling. Adoption has always been something that I have considered for the future. Greg is on the same page as me, as are many of our closest friends. I feel that God is stirring the hearts of many believers around the world to love and care for those closest to His tender heart - orphans. We are praying about this for the future. I love the picture that adoption shows...God's infinite grace to us that allows us to enter into a relationship with Him where we are called sons and daughters of God Most High!

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

"He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:5

On another note, I am absolutely appalled at some of the insensitive remarks that have been made about this tragedy....

"Why are we dishing out so much money to Haiti when we have people in our own backyard living in poverty?"

"Let's help our own country before we give to every other country in the world without getting anything in return!"

"God was just doing 'population control' for people living in such poverty!"

"This was God's judgment on Haiti for 'making a pact with the devil' several hundred years ago."

Really?! These, as well as others, have literally made me sick to my stomach, especially when I hear them from believers! I get angry, and I believe that Jesus is angry about this selfishness and greed. Instead of judgmental, insensitive, selfish hearts, let's commit to praying for this country and giving of our abundant resources. Let's pray for quick relief, comfort, peace and healing for a country that has been through so much. Let's pray for God to be glorified and not blamed in the midst of this tragedy. Let's PRAY for the hurting people of Haiti.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27