HAITI — DISASTER RESPONSE … “BY YOUR LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT”

The passage from Psalms assigned for Sunday, January 17, might strike us as ironic in the days following the earthquake in Haiti.  Ironic, as in, “characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is.” 

Your steadfast love, O Holy One, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your graciousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your justice like the great deep;
You save humans and animals alike, O Redeemer.
How cherished is Your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take shelter in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundant fare of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
The fountain of life springs forth from You;
By Your light we see light.
Maintain Your faithful care for those devoted to You,
And lavish Your blessings upon those who trust in You.               PSALM 36: 5-10, from Redemption Songs

Devastation so absolute, need so widespread, basic, overwhelming, and visible, pulls us all into the consideration of ultimate matters, theological reflection.  And we hear a full range of voices, from Pat Robertson’s declaration that the Haitians brought this on themselves when they made “a pact with the devil” and gained their political independence from France; to the opening question on “World, Have Your Say,” the BBC call-in show:  Has this event shaken your faith? to the discouraged fall-back response, “It must be God’s will;” to President Obama’s assurance to the people of Haiti that they would not be forgotten or forsaken.

President Obama’s words echo the Creator’s promise to the people of Israel that their land would “no longer be termed Forsaken.” [Isaiah 62: 4—assigned for January 17]  And that promise is expressed universally in that Sunday’s Psalm:  ALL people may take shelter in the shadow of Your wings…Your steadfast love reaches to the heavens…..and concludes with the prayer, “Maintain Your faithful care for those devoted to You, and lavish Your blessings upon those who trust in You.”

Overcoming blame, doubt, and despair, is the affirmation “By Your light we see light.”  The light of faith, the beam of compassion moves us to action, in Haiti and at home, as part of that “genuine revolution of values” that “call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all humanity” that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described as “an absolute necessity for the survival of [the human race].”

Here, from Cally Rogers-Witte, Executive Minster for Wider Church Ministries, and Susan Sanders, Administrator of One Great Hour of Sharing resources, are ways in which you can take part in the relief effort for Haiti:
 
PRAY- God  is surely grieving and weeping with all those who have lost loved ones.  As the body of Christ we are called to reach out with help and prayers.  Go to http://www.ucc.org/disaster/major-earthquake-strikes.html to find a bulletin insert, a new hymn lyric and a prayer.

DONATE - Obviously, at this point, beyond prayers, money is what can be most helpful. You can donate online 
Or send contributions to the Conference Office:

21425 Birch St, Hayward  CA   94541
Make checks payable to Wider Church Ministries
mark in the memo line: OGHS/Haiti Earthquake 

As always, gifts to OGHS for specific emergencies go 100% to that effort.
 
ASSEMBLE KITS - Hygiene and Baby Kits are urgently needed for survivors in Haiti. This is one very concrete and "hands-on" thing that church groups can do.  Church World Service has issued an urgent call for health kits: http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kits_main

ADVOCATE - Our ecumenical partners are asking that we advocate to the US government for "temporary protected status" for undocumented Haitians now in the United States since it would place severe burdens on them and the government of Haiti to send them back to Haiti at this point. Go to https://secure2.convio.net/cws/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=SplashPage&id=233&JServSessionIdr004=o3fmkqwzj1.app245b for information.
 
VOLUNTEER - And,  for those  who feel called to "go and help", please direct energies to  Disaster Recovery Work Groups that can help with on-going rehabilitation work in New Orleans/the Gulf Coast, Florida, Iowa, etc.  There may be time in the future to be helpful in Haiti, but this is not yet the time.
 
In addition, Marijke Fakasiieiki is a Common Global Ministries Commissioned Mission Interpreter who has visited Haiti and IS available to churches in the Northern California Nevada Conference who might want to learn more about conditions in Haiti.  Contact her at blucanoe2@yahoo.com.

photos courtesy of Eric Quintero

(Reprintable PDF version of this article.)