Haiti Needs Hope

This weeks lesson is dealing with the idea of injustice and addressing the question, “How can I become an agent of hope?” We need to look no further than Haiti to see an area of great need. As followers of Christ, we don’t live “christian” lives in a vacuum. Our faith is more than simply agreeing with a list of beliefs. Our life is supposed to be a living example of what we believe. Our salvation comes by faith alone, absolutely, but true faith—the saving type of faith—is accompanied by our actions. So what do we do in light of the hurt going on in Haiti?

Do we think of reasons it may have happened (Pat Robertson), send money, pray, do nothing? What if this disaster hit in our backyard? How would your feelings or response be different? It’s all too easy to turn a blind eye to the hurt going on in Haiti right now if your life isn’t affected by it. The truth is, that is the same reason we so often miss out on everyday ways to display hope. We’re too wrapped up in our little bubbles, or sidetracked by meaningless items like a college coach jumping ship in the middle of the night to run to another team. People around here, Nashville, are more concerned with who the next coach is going to be than they are helping a hurting nation. As followers of Christ, we need to be more open to seeing our lives and surroundings through His eyes. One of our authors ministers in Haiti, one of my dear friends is adopting two children from Haiti, so I know I want to help. The need is great so what can I really do? What can you really do?

I just got this report from a friend at the International Mission Board:

“Southern Baptists are mobilizing to assess disaster relief needs after the largest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti the evening of Jan. 12.

“The initial Southern Baptist disaster relief effort will be led by Florida Baptists, who have had ministry relationships in Haiti for more than 20 years and currently have six staff members who live and work in the country, said Jim Brown, U.S. director for Baptist Global Response (BGR), a Southern Baptist relief and development organization. The International Mission Board does not have long-term personnel stationed in the country.

“Initial funding for the relief effort will be provided by the IMB’s disaster relief fund which operates on a “dollar in, dollar out” basis, which means that 100% of the money donated is used to provide disaster relief. Contributions to the relief effort can be made online at gobgr.org.

“Apart from donating to the disaster relief effort via gobgr.org, you can help greatly by joining in focused prayer for Haiti’s 9 million people, more than 80 percent of whom live below the poverty line, said David Brown, who with his wife, Jo, directs BGR work in the Americas.”

To see the full article, click here.

We are a blessed people and it’s times like these that I think we should be helping as best we can. Pray for Haiti and the people who will be going to help. Pray that God’s grace and compassion will flood the children who have lost their parents, fathers who have lost their daughters, mothers still searching for their children. Life will never be the same for the people in that country. Pray for help from Heaven’s hills to heal a broken country. Pray that the gospel will be shared and lived and then received. Use what you have, do what you can, and pray for God to fill in the gaps. Decide today to become an agent of hope.

For a list of other trusted organizations to donate relief aid to, click here.