Time Out
I don't know that I can add anything new to the Haiti discussions, other than just to say "Oh... Haiti."
That's what I said when I saw the first headline on Tuesday afternoon. "Oh...Haiti." The "Oh" is really more of a throaty gasp, and I stop after "Haiti" because I cannot think of one appropriate thing to say, and I'm usually swallowing back tears.
It seems petty and voyeuristic and even disgusting to read the stories or look at the pictures, as if I'm participating in some kind of media exploitation, but to remain disconnected or uninformed doesn't seem right either. I'm annoyed by the hundreds of facebook status updates that have nothing to do with Haiti - the thought of all of America just going on with their lives as if a quarter of a population hasn't just been wiped from existence makes my stomach turn. But I don't blame people for moving on. What, really, are we to do? I don't like feeling helpless.
These faces may seem distant and unrelated to your life, but here in South Florida, they are our neighbors. They are members of our church. They are classmates at my daughter's school. He is the produce guy at my Publix - the one with whom I couldn't make eye contact today without tearing up, wondering if he knows where his family is.
Money doesn't seem like enough to give, but it's what we have. It's what God has given us to give in this circumstance. This is our opportunity to be God's distribution system - and I'm ashamed that it takes a catastrophe like this to call this much of my attention to the least of these. The very, very least of these, innocently born into an impossible situation. The least of these, for whom everything just got infinitely worse.
I believe that this is where the rubber hits the road for the American church - how many of us will make major purchases in the next few weeks, while relief organizations see a slow down of funds but not a slow down of need? We know God calls us to a life of sacrifice - I think that's pretty much universally agreed upon, regardless of denomination. But what if God really is saying "My people in Haiti need that money more than you need that new sofa?" (the next thing on our list.) What if that really is His voice you're hearing as you head to the mall? And what if, we as a church, actually listened? What if our purchasing power was taken away from big box stores and instead used to buy Haiti's recovery?
So here are some opportunities to listen, if you hear that little voice, like I do. Relevant Magazine's Reject Apathy campaign has a dedicated website. There you'll find updates on the relief efforts of various aid workers as well as opportunities to give to several trustworthy and reputable organizations, including Compassion International, which you can get to from this page. You can also text "disaster" to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion's disaster relief fund. I did that earlier today, and it worked beautifully. For more information, Reject Apathy, Click here.
That's what I said when I saw the first headline on Tuesday afternoon. "Oh...Haiti." The "Oh" is really more of a throaty gasp, and I stop after "Haiti" because I cannot think of one appropriate thing to say, and I'm usually swallowing back tears.
It seems petty and voyeuristic and even disgusting to read the stories or look at the pictures, as if I'm participating in some kind of media exploitation, but to remain disconnected or uninformed doesn't seem right either. I'm annoyed by the hundreds of facebook status updates that have nothing to do with Haiti - the thought of all of America just going on with their lives as if a quarter of a population hasn't just been wiped from existence makes my stomach turn. But I don't blame people for moving on. What, really, are we to do? I don't like feeling helpless.
These faces may seem distant and unrelated to your life, but here in South Florida, they are our neighbors. They are members of our church. They are classmates at my daughter's school. He is the produce guy at my Publix - the one with whom I couldn't make eye contact today without tearing up, wondering if he knows where his family is.
Money doesn't seem like enough to give, but it's what we have. It's what God has given us to give in this circumstance. This is our opportunity to be God's distribution system - and I'm ashamed that it takes a catastrophe like this to call this much of my attention to the least of these. The very, very least of these, innocently born into an impossible situation. The least of these, for whom everything just got infinitely worse.
I believe that this is where the rubber hits the road for the American church - how many of us will make major purchases in the next few weeks, while relief organizations see a slow down of funds but not a slow down of need? We know God calls us to a life of sacrifice - I think that's pretty much universally agreed upon, regardless of denomination. But what if God really is saying "My people in Haiti need that money more than you need that new sofa?" (the next thing on our list.) What if that really is His voice you're hearing as you head to the mall? And what if, we as a church, actually listened? What if our purchasing power was taken away from big box stores and instead used to buy Haiti's recovery?
So here are some opportunities to listen, if you hear that little voice, like I do. Relevant Magazine's Reject Apathy campaign has a dedicated website. There you'll find updates on the relief efforts of various aid workers as well as opportunities to give to several trustworthy and reputable organizations, including Compassion International, which you can get to from this page. You can also text "disaster" to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion's disaster relief fund. I did that earlier today, and it worked beautifully. For more information, Reject Apathy, Click here.
Comments
Mary, thanks for getting me started.