By now, you have probably heard the news about Haiti’s most recent disaster-or disasters I should say. On Saturday August 14th, a 7.2 earthquake hit the southern peninsula of Haiti, killing over two thousand and injuring and displacing thousands more.
A few days later that same area was hit with a tropical storm, further hampering the delivery of aid. Care was delayed for several days because the conditions were too challenging. Aftershocks continued making buildings even more dangerous, complicating mobile care spaces. Transport could not be secured because of inaccessible roads and bridges, isolating communities. Storm hazards-and security threat groups-hindered the first responders in their efforts to provide relief.
Like the prime minister said, “Haiti is on its knees.” Truth is, it is and has been for a long while now, crawling from crisis to crisis. Political instability, civil unrest, natural disasters, epidemics, economic collapse. And these catastrophes always seem to come in pairs like the current situation. The country’s location makes it prone to earthquakes and hurricanes. Lack of public information and awareness, limited preparedness measures, low economic security and poor construction practices also add to its vulnerabilities.
So I ask: “Is there really light at the end of the tunnel?” “How much more resilience is there left in us Haitians?” “Isn’t there a limit to how much worse a situation can get?” It’s easy to fall into despair as we endure one striking blow after another. These difficulties make it easy to lose perspective. It can seem like a breakthrough is a long time coming.
But I refuse to believe that God has forsaken us. When I reflect on all the times in the past when we thought all hope was lost and He showed up and reminded us of who He is, how could we ever forget his faithfulness through the ages?! May we always remember that God is a very present help in trouble, God is all-powerful, and God is Jehovah-Jireh.
As the saying goes, “When life brings us to our knees we’re in the perfect position to pray.” So I pray that help will reach everyone affected by the quake and storm. I pray for everyone in Haiti right now who feels sad, angry, lost, unseen, unheard, tired, helpless, abandoned, hopeless, frustrated, unsafe, forgotten, alone, desperate. I pray we get back up on our feet soon.
