"The sky falls, the earth quakes. We'll put this back together -- we won't break."
Who thought that the words of Jay-Z would be the most appropriate response to the destruction in Haiti? I'm watching the Hope For Haiti Now telethon, and trying to put together the words to express what is happening here.
Maybe 30 minutes ago, a woman called in and talked to Steven Spielberg (which is awesome in and of itself) and said that she was an Episcopalian pastor. She'd been struggling with what to say to her congregation. The thought of being in her position has been bringing tears to my eyes. She asked how she could stand up in front of her community and tell them where God has been in this devastation. Certainly, it would be difficult to stand up in your church building and talk about a people who no longer have buildings to preach in. It would be difficult to pour coffee and eat donuts after church, talking about a people who have no food of any kind, let alone the frivolous food that we have. It would be difficult to do anything, knowing that the people of Haiti are so helpless.
But what I have always said in situations like this -- 9/11, Katrina, the Indonesian Tsunami -- that God is in the recovery.
God has been in the firefighters and paramedics who responded to the 9/11 tragedy. God has been in those who send care packages and write letters of encouragement and hope to our troops overseas. God has been in those who rebuild the Gulf Coast hurricane season after hurricane season. God has been in those who participate in relief efforts of any kind. Certainly many people would like to believe in a God who prevents such disaster. But I am content to believe in a God who has instilled compassion in humankind, calling us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Who thought that the words of Jay-Z would be the most appropriate response to the destruction in Haiti? I'm watching the Hope For Haiti Now telethon, and trying to put together the words to express what is happening here.
Maybe 30 minutes ago, a woman called in and talked to Steven Spielberg (which is awesome in and of itself) and said that she was an Episcopalian pastor. She'd been struggling with what to say to her congregation. The thought of being in her position has been bringing tears to my eyes. She asked how she could stand up in front of her community and tell them where God has been in this devastation. Certainly, it would be difficult to stand up in your church building and talk about a people who no longer have buildings to preach in. It would be difficult to pour coffee and eat donuts after church, talking about a people who have no food of any kind, let alone the frivolous food that we have. It would be difficult to do anything, knowing that the people of Haiti are so helpless.
But what I have always said in situations like this -- 9/11, Katrina, the Indonesian Tsunami -- that God is in the recovery.
God has been in the firefighters and paramedics who responded to the 9/11 tragedy. God has been in those who send care packages and write letters of encouragement and hope to our troops overseas. God has been in those who rebuild the Gulf Coast hurricane season after hurricane season. God has been in those who participate in relief efforts of any kind. Certainly many people would like to believe in a God who prevents such disaster. But I am content to believe in a God who has instilled compassion in humankind, calling us to love our neighbors as ourselves.