urge

i can only think of one other time in my entire life that i've truly been brokenhearted for someone.

yesterday was the second time. i was driving and i just could not stop sobbing thinking about all of the devastation that has taken place, and is taking place, in the country i love. i hurt for this country as a whole, but also i am deeply broken for one specific person.

his name is pastor osnel. his beautiful wife aliza, and their darling babies were killed in the earthquake. pastor osnel wasn't at home when this happened.

although i am deeply moved by tragic stories abroad (especially those of sex trafficking, orphans, and HIV/AIDs), i have found it somewhat easy to remove myself from situations happening so far away.. i hate that. i am ashamed of myself for being so distant in my prayers and in my hope.

we, living in a country so richly gifted with clean water and every other luxury, have slowly but surely postured ourselves to react to things that only affect us.

we have begun living in a world where we have "awareness" facebook groups and days for things so incredibly heart wrenching, that i am sometimes embarrassed to even say that i am a believer, for my lack of doing.

please, correct me if i'm wrong, but i don't ever remember Jesus saying that we should be "aware" of orphans and widows and people in need. i do, however, recall him commanding us to act.

i understand that doing starts with awareness. if you don't know about anything, how could you possibly help with it? but i urge you, and myself as well, to not stop at being aware of the pain being created so many miles away.

something i was beautifully appreciative of in haiti was their outrageous example of generosity. they have nearly nothing to give there, but they gave it. they gave their time, their labor, their love, their sweet hugs, all to us.

i read a scripture in second corinthians (8:2) yesterday that reminded me of haiti immediately. 'out of the most sever trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.'

may we now, when haiti needs us desperately, truly ask what it is Jesus is pushing us to do. i don't believe that this is going to be a blanket answer for every individual who will really ask God what he desires from them. i think that for some, it's going to mean money. i think for some it's going to mean packing a bag and going. i think for some it's going to be praying without relent.

each one of these requires sacrifice.

i pray to the God that is outrageously loving and grateful to call us his - that you are able to sacrifice, and that you will be truly blessed because of your rich generosity.