Death Rumbles Haiti - Prayer Vigil

I have made it a mission of mine to use this blog in a positive way, to intentionally counteract the negativity and cynicism that permeates our national and international news media.  But today I cannot help but talk about something that by nature, is dark and devastating.

Yesterday a catastrophic earthquake rumbled through the streets of Haiti, devastating the impoverished country and our brothers and sisters who reside there.  Though final numbers are far from known, the earthquake has caused a great deal of death.  The Prime Minister of Haiti announced that the death toll could surpass 100,000 and the Red Cross said an estimated 7.2 million Haitians have been affected.

Almost every news organization is sensationalizing the graphic and terrorizing photos of the Haitians reality.  Bodies are piling up in the streets.  Family members, missionaries, children, medics, aristocrats...are missing.  I dared to read on about the horror that exists because if my brothers and sisters are living it, I can certainly suffer with them just in my witnessing, and I can pray, pray, pray.  The photos are painful and horrific is a gentle word.  I want to scream with burning tears as I can barely swallow.  I will not post the graphic images here because I simply cannot and you can you go to any major news source and find them there.  The image below is hard enough.  (All photos/images from AP and Fox News @ Foxnews.com).

 

We are being called, right now, to do something!  We must be vigiliant in our actions to help these people as much as we can.  Many church denominations have missions related councils and sub-organizations established to aid in humanitarian emergencies.  Ask your church, your pastor, yourself, what you can do to help.  You can also contact the Red Cross.  These children, these, our brothers and sisters, need us.

The United Methodist Church, of which I am associated, has UMCOR or United Methodist Committee on Relief.  Follow this link to learn more about what UMCOR is doing to address the needs of the Haitians:

http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/newsroom/releases/archives2010/prayeraidforhaiti/

You can also post a blog to raise the conciousness of those in your network to the horrors of the devastation.  If your resources, like mine, are minimal, please join me in an ongoing prayer vigil.

Prayer Vigil for Haiti

Thursday, January 13th & Friday, January 14th 2010

- Starting tomorrow, the 13th, and going through Friday, I will be fasting from sun up to sun down and will remain in a continuous attitude of prayer for the country of Haiti and the victims of the earthquake.  I will also be praying for medical missionaries, relief workers, all mission teams and leaders, global world leaders and others involved in or able to aid Haiti in this time of need.

WILL YOU JOIN ME?

Spread the news of the prayer vigil.  If you'd like to join me and others around the world in fasting and prayer, welcome.  If fasting is not something you're comfortable with or something you cannot do for health reasons, I still encourage you to join us in prayer.