Be Still And Know: Heavy Heart for Haiti

Over the past day and a half, like so many others out there I am sure, I have had little on my mind other than Haiti and the devastation that has occured there. The earthquake on Tuesday claimed the lives of thousands and thousands, and robbed so many more of what little they owned. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere, and they lack the political stability and economic infrastructure required to provide prompt relief of the situation. The Haitian people already have so little, and now many have had those meagre possessions brought to nothing. This quake not only shook the country of Haiti but also obliterated its capital city, Port-au-Prince, reducing to rubble the Presidential Palace, Parliament, the headquarters of the United Nations as well as several aid centers from Doctors Without Borders. How can such a country begin to recover from such a blow? There is so much to be done.
We are extremely thankful to hear of the safety of those directly affiliated with CDIA (Coram Deo International Aid) working in Haiti at the Adoration Christian School. Although shaken, and having experienced what is no doubt the most terrifying ordeal of their lives, the Lodders, Kim, John and Jim managed to escape without harm. Besides this, despite a basketball tournament going on at the Adoration School, the school building was destroyed by the quake - and no one was inside. Through the dust and rubble, we can see the hand of our Almighty God at work in the lives of His children. In His providential timing, the shaky carport over the yard at the school was removed just two weeks before the quake, perhaps preventing even more serious events from taking place there.
Now that the dust is beginning to settle, though, we can be sure that the situation in Haiti has only just begun. Heads have been counted, and we are so thankful for the lives that have been spared - however the bodies are piling up and there are so many more lives in jeopardy, hidden under rubble and badly injured. One of the Adoration teachers is confirmed to be dead, and many more people connected to the school are unaccounted for as of this time. It is a country filled with despair and great need, and many around the world share their sorrow and grief. What can we do? We sit here with heavy hearts, feeling helpless in the face of such devastation, but we are armed with the mighty weapon of PRAYER and we may NOT underestimate it. Our God is strong, and mighty to save, and He will hear the requests we lay before His throne. Please pray that He will continue to protect His workers in the field, that they might be a beacon of His light to those in such dire need of it. Pray especially for the safety of Randy Lodder as he remains in Haiti at the school to protect what assets are left and to gather information about the situation of the teachers and other people involved with the school. Pray that He will guide the rescue workers in their tasks, giving them strength and courage to do what they need to. Pray that He will comfort the many who have lost loved ones, and that He will provide relief to those in all types of pain. Pray that He will work mightily in the government of Haiti, providing as much peace and stability as possible in a time such as this. Finally, please pray that His Word may go out with renewed force into this impoverished nation through the work of relief workers in His army, and that even through such devastation that many may be turned to the comfort and peace found in Him.

Photos from the Lodders' blog: http://randyandkarenlodder.blogspot.com

The basketball court a few weeks ago