Haiti: 10 Months Later
All of these pictures were taken from one of my favorite blogs, The Big Picture.
In just over 4 weeks, Es, myself and twelve others will be going to Haiti. We obviously won’t be the first, and we definitely won’t be the last to go there. In such an overwhelmingly devastating situation, it’s hard to find hope and purpose in being there for a short 6 days. However, I’ve been able to find that. I have full confidence that our team will be able to make a difference. And even if that difference only affects a handful of people, it’s good enough for me. As you can see from these pictures, “a handful of people” could really benefit from some help, from some love, and from someone to work alongside them.
This picture was taken 3 weeks after the earthquake.
This picture was taken in the same spot, SEVEN MONTHS LATER. Look at all the progress. (Note: sarcasm and sadness.)
This is the cleanest place these men could find to bathe themselves.
Adonia watches as a hospital worker dresses the body of her mother, who died of cholera in a hospital the same day she contracted it. (Note: that’s a hospital.)
Misthaki lost his mother to cholera, and now is an orphan.
One of the comments on the original post where I found these pictures said, “All this is for me is one of the proofs that god does not exist.”
It’s hard to argue that when looking in the face of devastation like this. But I don’t think arguing that is the right response.
In the first chapter of the book of John, it talks about the Word and all the power the Word has, and that nothing has been done or created without the Word, and that the Word is God. And then in the Message version it says;
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
God didn’t take away all the brokenness in the world to prove his existence. He took on the suffering and “moved into the neighborhood.” He came to suffer with us…for us. And it says that people “saw the glory with their own eyes.” Generous, and true…from start to finish.
Maybe this is wrong, but I’m not so concerned about the cynic that made the comment on the blog right now. I’m desperately hoping that the people of Haiti already have, and will continue to with us, feel “the Word in flesh” moving into their neighborhood. We’re only there for a few days, but I believe in a God that is generous and true, from start to finish.
~c
We are still accepting donations towards the Haiti trip, including donations towards the $10,000 building fund we are raising. If you are interested in being a part of the rescue in this way, please email me at chriskretzu@gmail.com and I will get you the information you need.
