Reflections on Haiti

Many of you have been asking me about conditions in Haiti regarding food, water, security, rebuilding efforts, and the spiritual condition of the country. I can't give you a comprehensive understanding of what is happening in all of these areas. But I can tell you why I have hope about this country. My hope rests in the power of the gospel and the men who proclaim and live that gospel, the pastors, some of whom were present at our conference last week. Some of the stories they told us were heart breaking. One pastor who shared his testimony at the conference lost two of his children. One of them was his son who was studying for the ministry and died in the classroom building of the STEP seminary where we gathered. Another pastor lost 27 members of his church who died in the earthquake. Most of the pastors homes were damaged or destroyed. Many who came sacrficed a lot to come, leaving what's left of their homes and families. Two of the pastors I met not only are continuing their church ministries, but also started orphanages for children whose parents died in the earthquake.
What gives me hope for Haiti? Seeing these men, weary, overwhelmed, many suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress, respond to teachings we shared, all rooted in the gospel. This is not evidence of our greatness as teachers, but the greatness of God. If Haiti is to be changed and become a new nation, it will be as hearts are changed by power of God. And this was evident in the lives of these men who left different than when they came. Just the fact that these men haven't given up on ministry is an inspiration to me. Imagine what they have been through, and yet they keep on keeping on. In my first talk, I asked the pastors to give me a show of hands in response to various questions:
How many of you are haivng trouble sleeping at night?
How many of you are afraid to enter various buildings?
How many of you find yourselves crying on a regular basis?
Who are having nightmares?
How many of you have images, sounds, or smells you just can't get out of your mind?
Are you having trouble praying or reading scripture?
How many of you are having trouble concentrating?
Are you more forgetful?
How many of you are depressed, feeling overwhelmed?
All of the men responded in various numbers to each of these questions. But they were willing to come to learn how to minister more effectively to their people. To be honest, I don't know if I could do it. The grace of God was evident even in these men attending. And so I have hope, even in the midst of the most intense suffering I have ever seen.
Blessings,
Dr. Paul