Haiti.

I am still trying to wrap my mind around the ever-worsening horror in Haiti. My heart is sick over the unimaginable tragedies there.

I came across a blog written by a missionary couple that has been serving in Haiti for a few years. The link below is the husband’s firsthand account of what he experienced during the earthquake. If this doesn’t break your heart enough to either make a donation toward aid for Haiti or get on your knees and pray, I don’t know what will:

http://rollingsinhaiti.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/earthquake-day-in-port-au-prince/

I cannot even begin to imagine what this man must be dealing with emotionally. Not only does Haiti need our prayers, but so does everyone involved in search and rescue.

I was discussing donations with a friend of mine and she mentioned that some of her Haitian friends living in South Florida have said that they worry that some of the smaller charities out there collecting money won’t even make it to the needed areas. Let’s pray that the following charities are good stewards over the money they receive. I have read that Compassion is already in active operation toward aid for Haiti and so is World Vision. You can also get on the official Red Cross website and give online. Go to Redcross.org and look for "donate" and choose "International Response Fund." You'll see Haiti specified there. If any of you are like me and financially strapped right now, and looking for a way to make a vital contribution that won't put you further in the hole, perhaps this ready option might work:

 Text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts. It will be charged on your cell phone bill. How easy is that?!

When I think about the thousands of people that are still alive but trapped, or the parents who are desperately searching for their missing children, or the scared - now homeless - children searching for their parents, my heart breaks into a million pieces. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to go outside and 60% of Houston be completely flattened. How overwhelmed and helpless everyone must feel!

I am going to pray my heart out for these people and everything in me hopes that you will too. I wish there was more that we could do, but I know that God esteems our intercessory prayers and that prayer is SO much more powerful than we understand it to be.

UPDATE: I just read on cnn.com that the Red Cross has already raised $3 million in just over 24 hours through their text messaging campaign. Every little bit HELPS!