Zaka International (Jerusalem-based humanitarian organization) treat injured quake victim in Haiti

From Fox news today, I read more tragic stories, but am continuing to pray for God to help Haiti. The world has its eye on the devastated nation as the numbers of the estimated dead rise to about 200,000 and the homeless to about 1.5 million.  Looting and violence with machetes, broken beer bottles, and guns is increasing, and doctors and medical staff are now treating gunshot wounds, in addition to critical injuries from the earthquake.  Please continue to keep our pastor friend Jay and his family, school staff, and church staff in prayer for God’s protection, strength, and opportunities to minister the good news of Christ to the people – people in desperate need of hope and peace right now, in the midst of chaos and violence.  Haitian police, U.N. peacekeepers, and other military are trying to restore civil order.  We know the greatest protection that exists is the blood of Jesus!

Fox news says that looters are stealing toothpaste from broken shops to plug their noses from the stench of death that is everywhere.  Bodies are being dumped into mass graves, burned, or left to rot on the streets.  When I saw the pictures today of the dead bodies being left, unnoticed, on the streets, all I could think of was,  “What’s their name?”  These are human beings – people who mattered.  Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, co-workers, neighbors. People like you and me. 

Every life counts. Every life is precious, and should be treated as such – from conception to death.

As I saw the videoes of the government’s dumptrucks dumping bodies into hurriedly dug mass graves – which is the government’s panicked attempt to deal with the horrible stench of rotting corpses and the high risk of an epidemic of disease – I was horrified. 

Where is the dignity? Where is the honor for these people, in laying them to rest? Yes, I realize that it’s an incredible, complex problem, properly burying the mass numbers of these people. I don’t have the answers for exactly how to take care of this.  But dumping these people into mass graves – treated worse than trash – is unacceptable, inhuman.  

If you’re wanting me to get off the subject of Haiti because it’s already splattered all over the news, what if this tragedy had happened to you and your family?  I can’t NOT talk about it. It matters too much. I look at the pictures in the news, I cry. I see the videoes, I am appalled and I cry. How can we not cry over this? God help us if our hearts are so hardened that we can’t  cry, and we flip the t.v. channel to something more entertaining or click off the site to tweet or look at our friends’ photos on Facebook. This needs to get down deep inside of us, and impact us – and then we should DO something about it in a practical way.

Fox news said that Doctors Without Borders said their specialists are behind 48 hours because their medical staff’s planes were forced to land 200 miles away in the Dominican Republic.  Our friend pastor Jay confirmed this report today, as Doctors Without Borders were supposed to come help him today with the field of injured people at his compound.  Fox said that the front-line relief workers are begging for more food and especially water to feed the hungry and to give the thirsty something to drink.

Water is the highest priority right now. People can go days without food, but not water. The whole world has pledged to help Haiti. France has even agreed to forgive Haiti of its $55.7 million debt, and promised $14.4 million to the U.N. fund for Haiti.  (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583250,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g4:r1:c0.000000:b29879524:z0) 

A very good lesson for all of us who need to forgive others!

We need to pray for food, water, and medical help for the people in Haiti – and to give.  Fox news said that some people are blaming the U.S. military for slowing down help to Haiti, giving preference to U.S. military flights. Whatever the bottleneck is, it needs to be opened – fast!

The most effective way that bottleneck can be opened is through the power of our prayers. God fed the millions of Israelite in the desert, and gave them water to drink when there was nothing but desert. He can do the same for the people in Haiti.

After MUCH prayer and discussion between ourselves and with others, my husband Ray and I made a decision about what to do in a practical, real, and tangible way. Today Ray and his friend Shawn went to the Kansas City airport to fly to Miami, Florida. From Miami, Ray and Shawn are planning to catch a relief plane flight along with 175 doctors, to fly into Haiti very early tomorrow morning. We are praying this flight is not turned away and not rerouted to the Dominican Republic by officials in Haiti.  

This will be Ray’s fourth missions trip to Haiti – but this time is very different and much more dangerous. They will be there at least two weeks for the medical mission, helping pastor Jay however they can. 

Today Ray’s organization SEMSAR (www.semsar.org)  had an unexpected, large donation of medical supplies  from Ray’s work (such as bandages, antibiotics, expired medications, sterile gloves, etc.). God is so awesome!  I am praying that Ray’s and Shawn’s bags filled with these medical supplies got checked okay, and that Ray and Shawn are now safely in Miami, waiting for the flight to Haiti.  These medical supplies are desperately needed right now in Haiti!

I am working on this end to get the Paypal “Donate” button on Ray’s website up and running  asap for those who desire to help (having technical difficulties currently with the button!). 

Tonight  I encourage you to ask God what you can do to help Haiti. Not everyone can jump on a plane, and fly there – nor should everyone – only those who God instructs to do so. I wish  SO much that I could be there, too, but Ray felt it was too dangerous a mission.

Please pray for Ray and Shawn to get there safely in the morning with no hold-ups for their flight arriving into Haiti, and God’s hand of protection on them until they come home. I will keep you posted on here. Ray wants to try to send me pictures of Haiti via email, but we’re not sure if there’s electricity or internet, and he’s going to be really busy while there.

For those of us here in America in our nice, safe, comfortable homes, we can pray – and can give in other practical ways, even if it’s a small $5 donation to the charity of one’s choice. 

Let Haiti break your heart tonight. Mourn with those who are mourning right now in Haiti. Do something.

My husband Ray, in uniform

Woman in Haiti crying; dead bodies lining the streets; people have to wear masks or cover their noses and mouths now with their hands, from the smell.

If you have been following my blogs on pastor Jay of Fishers Of Men International in Haiti, I received an update from him yesterday.  This was a mass email he sent out to many of his friends. I don’t believe he would mind if I shared this, as it has his urgent prayer requests in it. 

Please continue to pray for him and the people there. My husband Ray and I, his friend Shawn, and some other people are now raising support for pastor Jay and are raising funds for a missions trip there within the coming weeks to go help him.  Please pray for God to make a way, for nothing is impossible with God!

The dangers there are very great. Haiti already had a high crime rate, and now with the disaster there are reports of increased looting, carjackings, and shootings.  Water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are desperately needed.  

The Red Cross estimates 50,000 have died, and the smell of the dead bodies is now overpowering. The greatest problems now are how and where to bury the dead, treating the massive amounts of injured people, supplying food and water to the masses, and the risk of disease.

The rebuilding will be slow.  This reminds me so much of the book of Nehemiah chapters 4 to 6, when the enemies taunted Nehemiah that they would never rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem that were in ruins. But Nehemiah stood on the word of the Lord, told the people that God would fight for them, stationed guards as the young men worked, and they continued building until it was finished.  Let it be so with Haiti, for the glory of God.

Here is pastor Jay’s email, unedited:

“Beloved, 
Yesterday was extremely stressed as we began to uncover debree and get reports of those who died. We have incurred great loss and my heart is heavy with grief. The father of my God child has died. Pastor Estins youngest son has died. Pastor Kenold’s wife has died. Long time teacher Mr. Mark died…on and on.  Staff and friends are all burying their dead.
 
 I have a way to send out American staff today and will do so. I will stay until….. I could use 2-4 men to come in and labor in support. I must know them, they must be submitted and they must be able to tough it out with little to nothing….. Let me know….Please keep us in prayer.
 
At present we are coordinating with organizations to get relief on the ground. Very busy. Very overwhelming.  The busy ness is intense, but it does keep you from thinking on the negative and pushing to what God wants to do. We’re now coming into the time where we will have no fuel, no water, no food, no electricity. People are starting to get restless. Pray we can find these essentials.  If any one has a handle on fuel from government recourses let me know.
 
I’m receiving many of your emails, be patient and will try to respond. 187 emails yesterday. For immediate help from the average person… Send a love offering to the office. We have massive rebuilding to do.This will all take time. I’m thank ful for the response we’re getting but remember when the story goes cold on Fox and CNN, we’ll still be here rebuilding.
 
Love you all,
Pastor Jay”

If you would like to send support directly to pastor Jay, here is his website.