PRAY for Haiti

As I write this, the news out of Haiti is devastating. I can only imagine that it will get worse as communication is restored. We must pray for the people of Haiti.

Last night, I heard several phone interviews with missionaries in Haiti. They were able to call out due to generators on their property. Because it was already dark, they were unable to provide much real time information. They did, however, talk about the lack of infrastructure in the country, the fact that they could hear their neighbors screaming for help, and the destruction of their own homes. Every single person that I heard interviewed last night said, "there's no 911 here." We must pray for the people of Haiti.

This morning the reports are that the Presidential Palace has collapsed. I saw video of the collapsed building next to a photograph of the building when it was whole, it was unbelievable. The UN Mission building is said to have collapsed. There are reports that up to 9,000 UN workers in the country have not been heard from. Of course, that could be due to the lack of communication, but regardless, it's clear that the people there to help the Haitians have been profoundly affected by this event. We must pray for the people of Haiti.

Here in the US, it's hard for us to imagine the conditions that are normally present in Haiti. There is literally no infrastructure. They have no emergency services, there is no potable water, the buildings are not subject to building codes. The people are poverty stricken, homeless, hungry, and ill. I heard a missionary say that even when they show Americans photos of what they deal with in Haiti, the Americans cannot comprehend it. We must pray for the people of Haiti.

The TLC Channel used to have a program "Adoption Stories". I loved to watch it. Several episodes featured an orphanage in Haiti. I can't get it out of my mind. Is their building intact, are the children safe, were there couples in Haiti waiting to take their new child home that were caught up in this disaster? I must pray for the people of Haiti.

Now, I know, we all have many, many things to pray for. Prayer requests that are more personal. But for today, we must ask God to protect and equip the missionaries in Haiti. We must pray for their safety, stamina, strength, and faith. We must pray for the injured, the trapped, the overwhelmed medical personnel. We must pray for the children. We must pray for the people of Haiti.