Haiti
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4, NRSV
Students, Katrina alums, and other friends,
After hearing from many of you about what CW was planning to do to help in Haiti, I thought that I would share with you my thoughts at this time.
When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in late August 2005, I knew that it would take a month or so for the first responders and NGOs to do their work of saving lives and establishing the infrastructure needed for the recovery effort. For this reason, CW began working in early September to mobilize a team of Clemson students and others to visit the affected areas in mid-October. As it turned out, sections of the greater New Orleans area continued to be a “wild west” of sorts through the end of 2005, nearly four months after the storm hit.
The situation in Haiti is and will continue to be much worse. While the NOPD and FEMA proved ineffective and overwhelmed often in the months after Katrina, the government infrastructure in Haiti is practically non-existent at this time. I expect that it will take months before the environment in Haiti is safe enough for teams of volunteers to go. And when that time does come, only those with significant training and experience in working with disasters of this magnitude should be in the first wave. The last thing that Haiti needs right now are folks with the potential to be more of a burden than a blessing.
For now, I encourage you to support the Red Cross, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) or other reputable agencies that are seeking to direct dollars and other resources immediately into the crisis. And as people of faith, let us not forget or underestimate the importance and power of prayer. The government officials need it. The NGOs and first responders need it. The pilots and truck drivers need it. The missionaries and other internationals who have dedicated their lives to Haiti need it. And most importantly, the people of Haiti need it – including those at home and as part of the greater Haitian diaspora.
As Christians, we worship a God who is always bringing resurrection, hope and new life from death, darkness and despair. Let us put our trust in God, and let us do what we can to help equip those best-suited to care for the bruised and broken at this time.
With a heavy heart,
lane
PS – I hope that everyone will look for ways to serve on Monday as Americans celebrate the MLK holiday. Here in Clemson hundreds of students, faculty and staff will take a “day on” rather than a “day off” as they serve with various agencies around our community. In my opinion, this is another great way to show solidarity with those who are suffering in Haiti right now.
Rev. C. Lane Glaze
Director, Clemson Wesley
Campus Minister, Clemson UMC
PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633
864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell)
Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.