One year, yesterday. Since the tragic earthquake in Haiti. As is so easy for us to do … I’ve forgotten. It’s just so easy to go about your regular day and forget there are others in the world struggling.
On a recent snorkeling trip in Exuma … we explored a part of the island we haven’t visited before. As my face was tilted up in the breeze and warm sunshine, and as I was soaking up the beauty of seeing nothing for miles but the beautiful blue sky and crystal clear blue water … in my own little world …
I started noticing odd, colorful things laying up in the shore. “Is that a door? Random boards and poles?”
And then we were told they were remnants of Haitian boats that were stranded … from people trying to escape the devastated country. Many times the boats couldn’t get any closer to shore, or they would come in at night and get stranded on coral … so they’d have to abandon them and the passengers would swim to shore. We were told many Haitian’s can live on nothing for days … so they lie low in the overgrown bushes and trees on the shore.
Some are caught. Some aren’t.
It saddens my heart to know there are people in this world struggling. People that are forgotten about. Buy what can we do? It seems like such a huge, daunting, unreachable task. There will always be someone in need. There will always be someone hurting … hungry … homeless.
So does that mean we should turn a blind-eye? I don’t know ’bout you … but if I were in need, you better believe I’d want to know someone, somewhere was trying to make a difference and help me.
I’m currently leading and studying Max Lucado’s Outlive Your Life series with my home Bible Study group {I highly recommend it, and 100% of all proceeds are being donated}. Max has this to say {please take the time to read these words}:
1.75 billion people are desperately poor, 1 billion are hungry, millions are trafficked in slavery,
and pandemic diseases are gouging entire nations. Each year nearly 2 million children
are exploited in the global commercial sex trade. And in the five minutes it {takes} you to
read {this post}, almost ninety children died of preventable diseases. More than half of all Africans
do not have access to modern health facilities. As a result, 10 million of them die each year
from diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria, and measles. Many of those deaths could be prevented by one shot.
Ours is the wealthiest generation of Christians ever. We are bright, educated, and experienced.
We can travel around the world in 24 hours or send a message in a millisecond.
We have the most sophisticated research and medicines at the tip of our fingers. We have ample resources.
A mere 2% of the world’s grain harvest, if shared and distributed,
could eliminate hunger and malnutrition.
There is enough food on the planet to provide every human being with a 2,500 calorie a day diet.
We have enough food to feed the hungry.
And we have enough bedrooms to house the orphans.
There are 145 million orphans worldwide.
Nearly 236 million people in the United States call themselves Christians.
From a purely statistical standpoint, American Christians by themselves
have the wherewithal to house every orphan in the world.
Tell me … does that impact you?
The Bible is full of Scripture that tell us to care for the poor, orphaned, and widowed:
Proverbs 19:17 – Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord; he will reward you for what you have done.
Proverbs 14:31 – Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Matthew 9:37 – Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
James 1:27 – Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and without fault is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help, and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence.
Matthew 25:35-46 – This is a lengthy piece of Scripture … and you can read it here.
Alright friends! So here’s the deal … as I like to explain … maybe you didn’t know before. Maybe you turned a blind-eye. Maybe you stayed blissfully oblivious {that’s me!}. But … now you know. And now, my friends … you’re accountable.
So what can we do? First-of-all … let’s not forget! Second … pray! Third … get involved and get outside your own little world.
My Own Little World
:: Matthew West ::
In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I’ve never gone hungry, always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet
In my own little world, population: me
I try to stay awake during Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts
And I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see
Yeah, it’s easy to do when it’s population: me
:: chorus ::
What if there’s a bigger picture?
What if I’m missing out?
What if there’s a greater purpose?
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world
Stopped at a red light looked out my window
I saw a cardboard sign said, “help this homeless widow”
And just above that sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, God, what have I been doing?
So I rolled down the window and I looked her in the eye
Oh, how many times have I just passed her by?
I gave her some money than I drove on through
And my own little world reached population: two
:: chorus ::
Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours
Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your light in my eyes and let me see
That my own little world is not about me
:: chorus ::
I don’t want to miss what matters
I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose
So I can start living right now
Outside my own little world
My own little world
My own little world
i love your heart. i love your passion. thanks for making me think…
very much enjoying your blog-
WOW Traci. Thanks for sharing this with us. I love your blog and am inspired by your openness. I LOVE this song by Matthew West. I just posted it on my blog this past weekend. One of my goals this year to be more deliberate in showing compassion and random acts of kindness. Thanks again.
Wow Traci. Thanks for sharing this with us. I love your blog and am always inspired by your openness. I also LOVE this Matthew West song. I just posted it on my blog last weekend. One of my goals this year is to be more deliberate in showing compassion to others and random acts of kindness. Thanks again!
This is beautiful.
It really is easy to forget what the rest of the world is going through…
In April we were in New Orleans – driving along the shore line to get there you could still see the damage from Katrina from YEARS ago! It was impacting for sure.
This is such an important issue! There are so many areas of the world that need help and Haiti is still in devastation…a year later.
A fellow adoptive mom, who was in Haiti when the earthquake hit, shared this post today. It includes her thoughts and also some organizations working to make a difference. I urge everyone to read it!
http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2011/01/haiti-today.html
I love this song, but I’ve never seen the video before – love it – very powerful. I love how once he opens his eyes to a need, he starts to see more. I just finished reading “Outlive Your Life,” and loved it. Especially when Max says to be ready to help someone in need. Have a heart that’s ready, but also have practical tools ready – maybe stock your purse with some extra cash, gas and grocery gift cards and see how many people you can bless – all in the name of Jesus. :)
What a great post. I am reading a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. What a great book. And I was just reading the other night. And what a spark it lit in me. He said “We ask God why there are starving people in the world. But he should be asking us that.” I could not get over that thought. Like, yea. We shouldn’t be asking him, I should be making a difference. This book is amazing!
brilliant blue in that first photo. the earthquake hasn’t been in the forefront of my mind lately, either. can’t believe how quick time flies, between disasters. my heart currently is with a friend in australia who’s nervously watching flood levels rising in her community. luckily her family is safe for now, but i can’t help but worry how much worse it may get for them. makes my heart cry.
love you. thanks for helping me be more mindful of others today!
I need to pick that book up – took it on vacation, unpacked it and left it there. ugh – thanks for the reminder – and lovely photos!
I just found your blog recently and have been blown away with your incredible photography and kind heart… and THIS… this is so timely. I am currently thinking very seriously about leaving my safe, secure job to volunteer abroad for a year or so. A lot of things make this idea seem crazy but when I am reminded of the bigger picture, of the way God would have us live and share His love with those who need it… it’s very reassuring. Thank you for sharing your heart!