Urgent prayers needed

Prayers needed....

The rains have come, more than ever.  Last night, after the power went off, I sat and listened to the rains, at first softly falling and I remembered so much from years ago.  I used to love walking in the rain.  I could walk for hours and miles.  Sometimes sad and crying, for different reasons or for difficult decisions.  Sometimes just simply enjoying walking in the rain and feeling refreshed.  I've always enjoyed the rain.  

Since coming to Haiti, I have seen a different view of the rains.  Yes, the rain is needed, to fill cisterns and reservoirs.  To water gardens so food will grow.  To simply have water for washing clothes, taking baths and all the mundane daily things.  I didn't realize until coming here how much Americans take a simple thing like water for granted.  When we have no rains and droughts come... not only do gardens suffer, and rivers dry up.  Drinking water is scarce, bathing is very difficult if available at all. 

 

But when the rains DO come...in normal amounts, it is a blessing beyond measure.  You see clothing hanging on bushes or on the ground after being washed.  You see families (yes, FAMILIES) in the river taking baths.  You see people with push carts with 50 gallon drums on them, full of water, selling it to homes who have none.  And as a whole, life is good then. 
 

Then the overabundance of rain comes...and the tide turns.  People live in the equivalent of mud huts, with dirt floors.  Yes, some have cement walls, but so many, many have not.  Roofs, even on the cement homes, are tin, and mostly it's rusted and full of holes.  So, when this overabundance of rain comes... it's tragedy.  People sleeping on wet, mud floors, rains pouring in where they have holes in the roof, and sickness.  A majority of Haitians are malnourished, or at least very undernourished.  Their resistance is near zero to anything that comes along.  So, on these damp, cold floors, they get sick.  We have know where some slept on a wet floor, got sick and died in three days.  TRAGEDY!!  And this is not unheard of here.  Water supplies become contaminated.  Gardens are washed out.  The suffering is extreme.

Well, last night as the gentle rains started to increase and become heavier and heavier, my thoughts turned to the people.  First to those we know, who we KNOW were suffering.  Then to the area we live in...and we knew the amount of people at our door would increase for help.  Then to the larger area of this end of Haiti. So, the prayers started.  And the storm increased.  And grew worse and worse.  No, not a hurricane, not even a tropical storm, but a bad storm, none the less.

And I went to bed, and slept...........

Then this morning, we were planning a trip to town for supplies.  It was still raining and I told Don, the roads are going to be really bad.  We have a friend who was going to go with us.  And we were debating what to do.  We needed to get to town, for food and for fuel.  No stations around here have gas, so had to travel to town to get some.  

Our important, urgent trip came to an end with one phone call.  The rains had caused flooding all over our area and into town.  There were landslides, there is mass destruction.  People aren't hungry... they are dead... one family of 8, only the dad survived.  Another family the baby, another youngster and mom were found laying dead on the road, but the rest of the family has yet to be found.... 

My heart is so, so very heavy.  We keep calling friends to make sure they are okay.  Can't reach a few of them, so we are very concerned.  We sit here crying for the lost, for the ones left, who are hurting so much, for yet another devastation causing an already hurting country to go into mourning. 

So again, we ask for prayers... for the families of those who are gone, or not found yet - for the families who have lost everything from possessions (as little as they were) to their homes washed down the hillside - for those wandering, looking for someone to help them find family - for the people in authority who are overwhelmed with what to do for those who have loss of life in their families, have lost their property and livelihood.

Yes, the earthquake of 2½ years ago was really bad...but we are close to that situation here now.  Not as bad, but for this area it is of monumental proportions. 

So, please pray with us, not only for the people, the authority in charge and for the whole situation, but also for us.  We don't have the means to help a whole lot of people right now, but our hearts are torn for the situation we face with them.  We praise God we are safe and sound, with no damage at this point.  But people have already started filtering in here, not looking for a handout, but looking for help...of any kind, to get through this.  

We pray God will step in and help...not only physically, but spiritually, and emotionally.  The hurt is so huge right now, that only the Lord can calm fears and tears.  Pray with us for the Lord to send an extra amount of love and comfort to those lives have been torn apart.

As you can see, my outlook on rain has an added dimension now.  I still can see the wonder of the Lord in showers and yes, even in thunder and lightening.  But I can also see how the devil has used this to cause havoc and destruction.  

Lord, we come before you and ask that You step in and in Your love and grace, help those who are hurting and suffering.  Bring calm where there is chaos, bring healing where there is pain, and bring comfort where there is none.  And Lord, use us in this situation as you see fit.  Let us be Your hands to help where we can, in any way we can. Lord, we lean on You to be with us as we face an overwhelming situation here.  Please let Your love and glory shine even through this.  In Jesus Name...Amen.