o, Jesus!

come to heal
come to save
come to make all things new.

My heart is so heavy as I write this. I have a lump in my throat and ball in my stomach. I just read an article in the Globe and Mail about the baby boom hitting Haiti come 12 months after the earthquakes. The camps for homeless survivors being in many ways less safe than the hurricane itself was, thousands of women a month are giving birth to babies they will never be able to care or provide for, products of rape within the camps. The result of a nation with no prospects, no jobs, no hope.

The article writes about one woman, Mirlande, who was gang-raped. She, like me, doesn't have enough breast milk to satisfy her baby. But unlike me, she is left with no other options. A hungry, crying baby. A mom unable to help, in mourning and in need of love herself. And despite his horrible conception, she says, "I should not like him. When he came out of me, I began to love him..."

"For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed." Lamentations 1:16

I'm so astounded by God's common grace in my life at this very moment. Why me? Why do I get to live in Canada? With Brad as my husband, and Lily as my dearly loved baby. Why was I not born in Haiti? Sharing the exact same problem as Mirlande stuns me, when I think about how different our lives are, though we have so much in common. It's just not fair. But God's promises are upright and true, and I am clinging to them tonight.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be [her] God and [she] will be my [daughter]."

{Revelations 21:4-8}

O, Jesus. I hardly know what to pray.
Jesus bring righteousness to these camps. Bring healing. Bring hope. Bring help. Provide. For Mirlande and every woman. Safety. Provisions for their families. Godly men to love and lead. Cause these wretched men to repent and be what you desire for them - fathers, husbands, redeeming men. Cause these children to not fall into the same cycle. Cause them to be loved and to know your love. Basically, Jesus, work a miracle. You are the only hope. For Haiti and this damned world. Come.

Listening to "God's hand in Suffering",
part of the series Redeeming Ruth by Mark Driscoll
(start 25 minutes in and listen for a good 8 minutes)
to bring me perspective and comfort