Back in the late afternoon of January 12th, the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince was rocked, swayed and pummeled by a massive 7.0 earthquake.  The earthquake destroyed most of the city leaving the survivors in rubble trying to find the rest of their families, fighting for food, and sleeping in city parks.  The reports and images coming out of Haiti are graphic, tragic, and unbelievable.  There are the stories of miracles like the little boy who was rescued alive after 8 days in the rubble.  There are stories of utter pain as children lost parents and parents lost children.

Our Christian framework can only make sense of this so much.  Isn't God good?  Yes.  Isn't God powerful?  Yes.  Then why did this happen?  (After much hesitation and thought) Because there are walks through the valley of the shawdow of death.  And these walks hurt.  These walks do not make sense to us.  But they do to God.  The walk of Jesus to the cross with the whippings, beatings, spitting, crown of thorns, nails pounded in, hanging there and the moking - this walk does not make sense to us.  But it does to God.

What is the response of people to the tragedy of Haiti?  Amazingly, some of the pictures and videos coming out of Haiti included groups of people singing, praying and worshipping God in the heaps of destruction.  Christians from around the world kneel in prayer.  Brothers and sisters in Christ are traveling to help.  Many others are giving financially to support relief and Christian organizations.  Adults are seeking ways to care for and adopt the numerous orphans that have been created.  Christians are joining this walk through the valley of death.  However, this is just one walk, and there are so many more.

How do we determine where and how to give of ourselves and in what capacity?  We are each made uniquely and individually, and God speaks to each of us uniquely and individually.  Some might be led to do more for the poor and hurting of this Haitian tragedy than others.  And others might be led to do more for the poor and hurting in the Archbold area.  Or others might be somewhere in between.  Whatever we do, we must do something, and we must do it for the glory of God.  The prophet Isaiah has some words regarding our actions in Isaiah 58:6-12.  He talks about helping the oppressed, poor, hungry, hurting and alone.  When we do this, "The LORD will guide us always; he will satisfy our needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen our frame.  We will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Is. 58:11.

May we be a church that is living and breathing the work of God.  May we be a well-watered garden that restores streets, dwellings, and repairs broken walls.  May we be a church that prays.  May we be willing to walk through the valley of the shawdow of death.

Learn more about the ministry of St. John's Christian Church online: www.stjohnsarchbold.org