{"id":859,"date":"2010-01-14T19:56:07","date_gmt":"2010-01-15T00:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/hungerrumblings\/?p=859"},"modified":"2010-01-14T19:56:07","modified_gmt":"2010-01-15T00:56:07","slug":"haiti-through-andrews-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worldhunger\/haiti-through-andrews-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"Haiti through Andrew’s Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The news from the earthquake in Haiti<\/a> permeates our media<\/a> and our hearts.\u00a0 When we turn on the television there are images of death and destruction, and for some loss and despair.\u00a0 At times like this hope can seem hard to grasp.\u00a0 Andrew Brown is a former classmate of mine at California Lutheran University; his numerous trips to Haiti have greatly impacted his life and deepened his faith.\u00a0 I was able to ask him a few questions about his experiences.\u00a0 I hope that his answers help to paint for you a living picture of the country and it’s people.\u00a0 Please read on as Andrew helps us to see into the heart of Haiti.<\/p>\n

How many times have you been to Haiti and what did you do while you were there? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew: <\/strong>I have been to Haiti on four different occasions. \u00a0My first three trips I took to Haiti were work trips focused on building an orphanage, hospital, and school for children living just outside downtown Port-Au-Prince. \u00a0My last trip, however, was to visit friends and film their stories for a documentary. \u00a0All of my trips to Haiti have been extremely humbling experiences and root my life again in Christ’s work.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is your favorite memory from your time there? <\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew:<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong>Where to begin. \u00a0I think my favorite memories are the times I get to share with my Haitian friends. \u00a0Leonard is a Haitian man who works as a “Taxi driver” in Haiti. \u00a0He is usually our driver when we are in Haiti working or visiting. \u00a0Leonard is the kindest man I have ever met. \u00a0The times I have been able to share with Leonard fill my life with purpose to be a better person. \u00a0You often hear him shouting the Lord’s praise in song on our car rides or simply shouting, “No problem!!!” \u00a0Each time I have been to Haiti he has kindly opened his home to my friends and I. \u00a0It is somewhat dangerous for a Haitian to open his house to white people as it puts a target on them as being rich, or privileged. \u00a0Leonard does not care. \u00a0We are his friends. \u00a0And he opens his home for us because God called us to do so. \u00a0The faith Leonard demonstrates is often incomprehensible.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

My other memory, although a little more difficult to understand are the times I have spent in hospitals and orphanages. \u00a0Holding children who are very ill or massaging lotion onto the dying. \u00a0I never realized how my hands, how my presence, could soothe a crying child, or calm a dying man. \u00a0I get to be Jesus for a moment and feel the presence of him through my hands. \u00a0Those little moments are always in my heart and resonate with me whenever pain and sadness exist.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

How has your experience in Haiti impacted your life?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew: <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>The relationships I have built with Haitian friends over the years continues to impact my life everyday. \u00a0Many of the men and women I have met have very little by world standards. \u00a0But yet I find myself being called to become a better person because of the faith they have in God. \u00a0It has caused me to remember their faces and in time of trial praise God for all of the blessings in my life. \u00a0The people of Haiti have instilled a sense of urgency to serve. \u00a0Since the moment I arrived in Haiti, I have not forgotten their faces or their smiles. \u00a0I feel called to give my time, my talent, and my gifts to the Lord who has created me. \u00a0The people of Haiti have taught me what it means to love unconditionally, and to have faith in a God who’s plan isn’t always prevalent.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is one thing we should all know about the people of Haiti?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew:<\/strong> <\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>The people of Haiti are some of the most incredible people I have ever met. \u00a0They have literally been plagued by corruption, famine, poverty, and injustice for 200 years, and yet continue to love each other and their country so much. \u00a0The people of Haiti are good. \u00a0They will give you the shirt off their back, even if it is their last. \u00a0Haitians are the hardest working people I have ever encountered. \u00a0They will prosper and they will succeed. <\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you personally heard any updates from people you know in Haiti? Would you be willing to share? <\/em><\/strong> <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew: <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>I have a very close friend who has been working in Haiti since Thanksgiving of 2009. \u00a0I received word this morning through Facebook that she has been working around the clock at a make shift outdoor clinic.<\/p>\n

From her Facebook: “I know very little other than I am ok. We are working through the night at an outdoor clinic. 3 hours of sleep since\u00a0the incident. I have to be honest it is kind of terrifying to be here. It is a total battelfield. My heart races all the\u00a0time. Thanks so much for your prayers.”<\/p>\n

Other than Joanna, I have heard various reports of other friends in Haiti being safe, but the news is very scarce. \u00a0It could be many days before I am able to really understand the gravity of loss to the great people of Haiti. \u00a0Their words are piercing. \u00a0But God is good and in control.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

How does your faith affect your response to the recent earthquake in Haiti?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew: <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>I think in any time of catastrophe, our faith is challenged. \u00a0We ask ourselves, “why do bad things happen?” \u00a0I don’t know that I have that answer, but I do know that God is good. \u00a0Faith is something you cannot see, and the basis of faith is to trust in the Lord in times like these. \u00a0That is what faith is built for, times of darkness and hurting. \u00a0So although it can become easy to question God and His plan, your faith grows exponentially in times of trails. \u00a0God allows us to suffer because it unlocks our ability to love unconditionally. \u00a0When we struggle we are able to love without question. \u00a0We come together, separate our differences, and remember the common good of humanity.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Is there is anything else that you would like to offer?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew: <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>“‘I may have lost a loved one, but also I may have lost my country.’ You feel so sad, terribly sad. Everyone does. But Haiti’s the kind of place where people develop an incredibly strong will. The motto of Haiti is ‘L’union fait la force’: ‘in unity there is strength.'”\u00a0 -Haitian-born American novelist Edwidge Danticat<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are comfortable, would you please write a short prayer that readers could pray for the people of Haiti?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew’s Prayer: <\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Father, the people of Haiti are hurting. \u00a0They are crying out in pain asking for your healing. \u00a0May your hand come down on them and provide them the strength they will need to rebuild their country. \u00a0May you comfort those who have lost everything. \u00a0Father, may you sing praise through the streets of rubble that Your will be done and you are present in every corner of their country. \u00a0Father, give strength to the rescue teams. \u00a0Father, bring compassion to the world and give us the desire to share our resources necessary for healing and rebuilding. \u00a0Just be present Lord. \u00a0In any way. \u00a0Haiti needs you. \u00a0The world needs you. \u00a0May we remember the unconditional Love you give us in these days of hurt. \u00a0Be with us now and forever. Amen.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>currently resides in California; he is still a member at the church where he grew up, <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>Calvary Lutheran Church, Golden Valley, MN<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can help make a difference today. Please consider making a donation to help the ELCA’s efforts in Haiti. We are currently working with the Lutheran World Federation. Our partners in Haiti have survived the quake and are already working on the ground. Please make all donations directly at www.elca.org\/haitiearthquake<\/strong><\/a>. You can also read more information <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>and download bulletin inserts for Sunday <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>here<\/a>. <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Thank you for your gifts and your prayers.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>~Lana<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The news from the earthquake in Haiti permeates our media and our hearts.\u00a0 When we turn on the television there are images of death and destruction, and for some loss and despair.\u00a0 At times like this hope can seem hard to grasp.\u00a0 Andrew Brown is a former classmate of mine at California Lutheran University; his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[123,185,483,525],"class_list":["post-859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post","tag-disaster-response","tag-haiti","tag-hope","tag-relief"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHaiti through Andrew's Eyes - ELCA World Hunger<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worldhunger\/haiti-through-andrews-eyes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Haiti through Andrew's Eyes - ELCA World Hunger\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The news from the earthquake in Haiti permeates our media and our hearts.\u00a0 When we turn on the television there are images of death and destruction, and for some loss and despair.\u00a0 At times like this hope can seem hard to grasp.\u00a0 Andrew Brown is a former classmate of mine at California Lutheran University; 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