Haiti: "Jesus is Here"

If you've been breathing and conscious at all in the last two weeks, you've probably been glued to the television and Internet News about the horror that is happening in Haiti and is the result of a 7.5 earthquake off its coast that has left the already beleaguered nation in even more of a state of crisis.

So have we.

As a result, more than $20,000 from GCC families has been collected over the last two weeks, and will be going to supply direct aid, rescue and relief to Haitian families through our dear friends and valued partners at World Relief. Why World Relief? Well, many know that our typical MO is to resource networks of indigenous churches whenever we do anything anywhere in the world, and that the center for our focus as a local church is in Southern India. However, we resource those networks often through coordination with well-defined partner agencies, often who have global networks of their own and are capable of specializing in particular areas or geographies. In relation to disaster relief, World Relief is among the world's top agencies, and they understand the call and design to resource indigenous local churches the same way that we do. In Haiti in particular, they have been working for the better part of 18 years to build relationships with hundreds of national churches, and so, now that there is a need for immediate action and infrastructure, are strategically positioned to deliver aid through grass-roots networks of Haitian pastors and partners on the ground.

You can hear what our Senior Pastor, Mark Beeson, has to say about this by clicking here, but i wanted to tell you a quick story from our field partners operating in the region. It's about the picture that you see here.

"On yesterday’s conference call, Stephan shared a story about a pregnant woman named Thamar whose legs were crushed when a building fell on her during the quake. She survived, found her way to a hospital where her leg was casted, and gave birth to a baby boy in the aftermath of the earthquake. She named him Jesula, 'Jesus is here'"

Indeed, Jesus is here. Even in Haiti. Even right now. In fact, from my perspective, "Jesus is here" most when the People of God show up and do what they are called to do in the places of greatest need and greatest darkness. "Jesus is here" when Thamar and Jesula receive food, water, shelter and medical attention because people like World Relief reach into the darkness of tragedy to be Light and Healing. In short, i guess, "Jesus is here" when we, as His people, "are here"... or "there", wherever "there" may be.

I'm pleased to join you in answering that call to "be" wherever "there" may be, wherever you may serve and in whatever capacity it may be in the Kingdom.