A National Holiday - Praying and Fasting

Can you imagine this happening in the United States. The Haitians marked one month since the earthquake with a 3 day emphasis on prayer and fasting. It was incredible to watch our Hatian friends pray and plead with God to help their country.

I continue to be encouraged by a new friend named Hubert. He is a translator who has spent quite a bit of time with our team. He has nothing if you considered possessions important. His home - which was very small - crumbled in the earthquake. I watched him yesterday with a sense of awe as a young boy walked up to his car window and asked for food or water by knocking on his window. Hubert had one bottle of water and it was half empty. He did not hesitate to roll down his window and give the boy his water.

Last night after we completed our work, Hubert took three of us to his home. His family has relocated to live with his wife's family - 2 hours out of town. He was proud of what his home used to be. It was not much bigger than what most of us have for a garage. He pointed out what used to be his yard "where my kids used to play." It was about the size of a small bedroom. He pointed to a house about 30 yards away and informed us that his brother and all of his family were killed in that house during the earthquake. He had 3 children. A total of nine bodies are still in that building.

Today we were able to help take Hubert to see his family. It had been about 2 1/2 weeks since they left Port-au-Prince. He had been keeping a few items hidden in hopes that he could get them to his family. He later told us that this was very important so that his wife's family understood that he was not going to leave them alone but instead he would keep taking care of them.

Hubert has a wife and 6 children. They live in a house that is about the size of my office. He told us today that they are grateful for what they have and that they are going to be okay because they knew that God had kept them alive.

Here is the really difficult part for me: Hubert's story could be told over and over again and different names could be used each time. These people have experienced an incredible tragedy. Here is the really impossible part for me: not many of those people would have a faith like Hubert's. He will survive and his family will move forward because He know who holds his future. For the other, I am not so sure. The days ahead are going to be remarkably difficult.

There is so much work to be done in Haiti. We have such a great opportunity to impact the future of this spiritually and economically struggling people. Let's continue to pray that God gives us all wisdom, courage and strength to respond.