Haiti
As I see the devastation in Haiti after the earthquake I can’t help but think about Rwanda. How do the two connect…at least in my mind? In 2009 my travels took me to both countries. 15 years ago Rwanda was a broken country because of the genocide – a million people killed in 100 days will do that. The ethnic tensions, unrest, political dysfunction and poverty of Rwanda had been brewing for generations until it finally exploded. But just 15 years after the genocide, a broken country has been showing signs of an absolute miracle in terms of reconciliation, spiritual revival, and economic opportunity.
When I went to Haiti I saw societal chaos, political dysfunction, abuse of power, and extreme poverty. Haiti seemed, to me, totally broken – even before the earthquake. But on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 a new type of brokenness hit Haiti with a power measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale.
Brokenness is awful, terrible, painful, shocking, devastating, disheartening, and grievous. In the middle of the turmoil you wonder how a loving God can allow it to happen. I do not believe God caused the earthquake in Haiti. I believe God grieves every death, and every injury, and sees every tear shed. Yet I also believe that God loves brokenness…not because He gets some sort of sick sense of power by watching His creation suffer, but because brokenness leads to desperation and in desperation many hearts turn to Him. Ask the cancer patient, the divorcee, the grieving widow – they will tell you that the desperation that results from brokenness can be a time of incredible spiritual growth.
Rwanda is a different country today because it was broken 15 years ago. May the people of Haiti look to Rwanda and see an example of “beauty for ashes” and take great hope in a God who comforts and restores.
”To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the LORD has planted for his own glory.”
- Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)
You make a powerful point, David. Our Lord does not create the suffering and injustice. We are all broken, sinful humans living in a fallen world. God simply picks us up from our despair, loves us in spite of our circumstances and uses the transformation for His glory. I join you in praying for a mighty revival as God comforts and restores the people of Haiti.