Earthquake in Haiti

You've probably read the news by now about the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti late yesterday afternoon. I was in a meeting, and I started getting texts from concerned members who were just getting the news. (Thank you!) The quake hit in the very area that we do our medical missionary work. We have dear freinds there from earlier mission trips that we are tracking, and praying for. To get the latest info on the people from Haiti Lutheran Mission Society, and the folks that we work with down there, like Pastor Louis and his family and Leonard and his family, go to this Facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=haiti+lutheran+mission+society&init=quick#/pages/Haiti-Lutheran-Mission-Society-USA/247360578173?ref=search&sid=1276102076.701146364..1

My initial response to this is that our team (which was scheduled to go down to Haiti 2/10/2010) will not be able/allowed to go. I've heard conflicting reports that the airport is functional, with the control tower severely damaged (or not). Be reminded, that we at Immanuel will never knowingly allow our MIA team to go into dangerous areas. Right now, it appears that the work that needs to be done is best done by the "big guys" in the disaster relief areas, like the American Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, etc. We go in when things have been somewhat normalized.

Keep watching the posts here to see if we do partner with Samaritan's Purse to send volunteers who may be interested in joining with them to go down to help. Very similar to what we did with Hurricane Katrina response. Go to their web page to find out more or to donate to the fund to help. The money that our family was going to give to the beans and rice fund here at Immanuel will be given to Samaritan's Purse, with the beans and rice being covered later, when we more than likely go at a later date.

Remember these words of our loving and all-powerful God:

"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefor we will not fear,
though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
God is with her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
'Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.'"
Psalm 46:1-3, 6, 10