Here I am, Lord -

Hope in Hopelessness

As everyone knows, on January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The news out of Haiti has the earthquake’s official death toll at more than 70,000 and rising. The people of Haiti are now living in unimaginable difficulties and suffering because they lost their houses, family members and friends. They don’t have food and water. The TV news and newspapers are broadcasting the people’s needs. Many corporations and foundations are donating to aid them. Many volunteers are arriving to help them. I feel that now is the time to share our love together as part of the family of this world. It is time to share our generosity with them. (See a separate article elsewhere in this newsletter.)

United Methodists responded immediately after hearing of this earthquake with prayers for those who have lost everything. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is making plans to send aid teams and money to help them rebuild. Our church is joining with them through our donations as well as our prayers. It is a good time to practice Ruben Job’s “Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living” — Do no harm, do good, stay in love with God.

I would like to ask for your prayers for the loss of two Methodist leaders. The Rev. Sam Dixon, Executive Officer of UMCOR, died of injuries received after being buried in the rubble of a collapsed hotel following the earthquake. The Rev. Clinton Rabb, a leader in The United Methodist Church’s extensive mission volunteer program, died on January 17 in a Florida hospital of injuries caused when he was trapped for 55 hours in the ruins of a hotel destroyed in the earthquake. Please pray also for the loss of Jean Arnwine, a volunteer with a Dallas UMC mission team providing eye care to Haitians, who died of injuries suffered in the earthquake. There were several UMC mission teams serving in Haiti when the earthquake hit. We will remember all their efforts for the mission of God to help people through the love of Jesus Christ.

We pray for all these families and all restoration with hope.

Your spiritual friend,
Brian Suk-Boo Lee