In a moment of reflection this morning, it dawned on me that we may have fallen into that same trap that comes along every so often. We get excited about the newest, the latest, the labor-saving, the time-saving, the solution to all of our needs. We become consumed by the latest trends that promise to make life easier, and we try it, and lo and behold it works! We become enamored with how our lives seem to coast along pretty nicely, and we begin to believe that we have actually "arrived." It seems so odd that our world has come so far, and yet, when something dramatic happens, something traumatic, it always seems to knock us back on our heels.
Last week, people got up and began their day thinking that it was just another Tuesday. Breakfasts were eaten, jobs were attended to, and life was going along fairly smoothly. Few folks noticed that in a specific place not far from here, people were still starving, still homeless, still in need of basic medical care, still in need ofthe basic elements of human existence. Those few folks gathered together to discuss and plan how they could help the rest of the world take notice of this small country that was struggling to just survive. And then the unthinkable happened.
It was unthinkable because no one had ever imagined that there would be a plate-shift in that region of the world. It was unthinkable because earthquakes don't happen there - especially with that kind of magnitude. It was unthinkable because it wasn't on our minds. At all. This tiny country seemed the world away to most of us. We knew about where it was, we'd studied it in geography class in school. But other than the distant memories of conflicts from years gone by - ousted leaders, civil unrest, disease and poverty - it seemed as though it was just another country in need. "The poor you will always have with you..." we seem to recall Jesus saying (Mark 14:7).
Several United Methodist mission executives were in Port Au Prince last week to discuss and plan for a way to help the poor of that nation to get the resources they need to have a quality of life that we take for granted. In the midst of their time together, the earth shook. Buildings fell. People were killed. Including two of those executives. Rev. Dr. Sam Dixon, head of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and Rev. Clint Rabb, head of Mission Volunteers for UMCOR, both died from the injuries they sustained when the Hotel Montana fell upon them. Our prayers naturally go to their families who are experiencing great loss at this time. And yet, they are but two of the tens of thousands of victims who perished in this tragedy.
Their mission was to get the world to take notice. While it seems painful to say, their mission was accomplished. The world has noticed. Not because the earth shook. It has been doing that since the beginning of time. The world has noticed, perhaps because we aren't as self-absorbed as we thought we were. When people suffer, we notice, and many of us are moved through compassion into action.
I hope and pray that the events of this past week have us all thinking and praying. Haiti is not all that far away - especially when we consider that they are God's children just like us. Maybe, because of the earthquake we'll take notice, not just of the devastation of this natural disaster (which still seems so unnatural to me), but of the devastating effects of poverty for an entire population. I hope and pray that these events will move us beyond thoughts and prayers into action to make a difference in the lives of so many people who are so affected by this disaster. And maybe, just maybe, at least two deaths will not have been in vain.
See you in Church!
Grace and peace,
Brad
