We pray still for crisis in Haiti.

The magnitude of the trauma is numbing. Yet behind the scenes sprawling across our televisions and computer screens we catch the horror of real, personal tragedies. It’s pain we can only begin to imagine., if we will allow ourselves. “God, help us to continue to care…”

This is our response, from a distance. What of those who are there, on the ground, facing, and helping to ease the pain personally? What of the workers trying to help? “God, give them more of what they need today!”

Our hearts and prayers go out to the ten Americans arrested trying to take 33 children out of earthquake-shattered Haiti.  They say they were simply living out their Christian commitment, but yes, they broke the law. “In this chaos the government is in right now, we were just trying to do the right thing,” the group’s spokeswoman, Laura Silsby, said at Haiti’s judicial police headquarters, where she and others were taken after their arrest Friday night. They faced an ancient, and painful tension: when is it right to ignore protocol and even legal boundaries in order to save lives? They acted. I’m sympathetic to their plight. I also understand Haiti’s concern to maintain whatever social order they can…  

Pause with me today to pray for all those working in Haiti, seeking to stem the human strain and cost of this crisis.

“God we pray again for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We also today pray for the workers who are aiding these victims. Give them wisdom, strength, endurance and health to continue their efforts. Preserve their hearts through the suffering…. Give them all courage and supernatural power to continue. And when the grow exhausted, send more help to take their place… In Jesus.”