So Why do You Smile? Where is Your Joy?

I think Haiti and the earthquake that crushed businesses, cars, homes, and lives and has claimed over 150,000 lives in the capital city alone thus far. Images and stories stream from the the news nightly, but none doing justice to the reality of life now in Haiti. I cannot fathom what the scene is like, what people are going through.

People have traveled from Canada, Israel, Iceland, Germany, France, the US, China, Colombia, as well as many other countries to Haiti in recent weeks as reporters, doctors, rescue workers, nurses all doing what they can to meet the physical needs of the Haitian people.

Not only are people hurting physically and emotionally, I'm sure people are struggling spiritually trying to grapple everything that has just happened. I have not personally heard of many pastors or missionaries that have been able to travel there in recent days. Two pastors that have been able to go, Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hills Church in Seattle and James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Church in Chicago, are now heading up Churches helping Churches - A ministry "created to address the immediate and long-term needs of churches when disaster befalls a country, region, city, or people in the spirit of Galatians 6:10- 'Let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are in the household of faith'"

On their trip to Haiti they met a pastor with a big smile and spoke with him on camera. (you can view the video below)

Pastor Mark says "You love Jesus, you teach the Bible, you marry a woman, you have four children, you're serving the Lord in ministry. And now your wife is gone, your church is gone, your home is gone, your Bible college is gone.....So why do you smile? Where is your Joy?"

The man replied "It's from the Lord."

Praise God for sustaining this man! I pray that believers in Haiti would be strengthened, that they would know, despite watching the world around them crumble, that God has not crumbled, He's not left them, He is sovereign and in control over all things - including the events and devastation that surround them. To Gob be the glory.