Haiti Connection

I have not posted my thoughts for several days. The earthquake in Haiti has been a large focus of my attention in recent days. Often world disasters seem distant and not quite part of my reality. My heart goes out to those in need and to those who are faced with suffering and grief. But no name and no faces are identified in my mind.

Haiti's earthquake has been a different experience for me. I have friends who are trying to adopt a child from Haiti. After two and a half years of working on the adoption and submitting countless forms to the government, my friends woke up to find out that the government building housing their documents was a pile of rubble and their paper work was destroyed.

At first they thought they were back to square one in the process. Then news began to break that many children in Haiti who were in the adoptive process were being issued emergency visa to the USA. Their little girl's name surfaced as a potential candidate; then news came that she was going to be involved in a 12 hour bus ride to Port-au-Prince with the hopes of find a flight; then just this morning I heard that this precious little girl has been issued a permanent visa, will be flown out of the country with a loving adult sponsor; and will arrive in North Carolina to join her new parents! What an incredible turn of events in just one week's time. In the midst of ashes grows the rose.

My wife and I love the organization, Compassion International.(http://www.compassion.com/) They are such caring ministry filled with integrity and love. Several years ago, my wife and I decided to sponsor a child, in order to provide care and education for one who cannot provide herself. Her name is Rose and she is 14 years old. She lives quite a distance from the epi-center of the quakes, but she is still unaccounted for. Her beautiful face puts personal significance in my heart for the people of Haiti.

My heart has been captured by two men lost in Haiti. The first has been rescued from the concrete on Hotel Montana after 60 hours of entombment. Dan Wolley, a Compassion International worker, found his way to an elevator shaft and after two and a half days of darkness found the light of day via the effort of a French rescue squad. There are several wonder stories on line sharing this wonderful delivery of Dan (http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=404029 ).

Dan's friend and fellow videographer, David Hames was with Dan in Haiti. They were both in the lobby of the hotel when the quake occurred. David was not with Dan in the elevator shaft and has been missing since the quake. My heart aches for this young father and husband. It has been many days, but I have this hope, deep within, that God will bring this man back to his family. Please join me in praying for this special young man. http://www.krdo.com/global/story.asp?s=11856184

Finally, my daughter and her husband as well as one of sons all belong to a small group within their church in North Carolina. They have been planning a trip to Haiti for several months now. They are hoping to assist an orphanage located in Port-de-Paix, Haiti and they are scheduled to leave the first week of February. As they continue their plans determined to help in anyway they can, the people of Haiti become more significant in my thinking and my prayers. It is amazing how many connections I have to this small 3rd world country in such desperate need. May God have His hand of grace and love and mercy of this Caribbean island.