Column for Jan. 21, 2010

Have you been following the news about last week's earthquake in Haiti? Each day, it is on the newscasts on local and national news. My heart truly goes out to the victims of the quake. There are many North Carolina residents who are either immigrants from Haiti or have ties to Haiti via church missionary work or non-profit agencies. The video clips of collapsed buildings, injured people, and lines of refugees are heart tugging.

The latest figures I have seen are that there may be over a hundred thousand dead. That would be approximately 71% of every resident of Johnston County gone in a matter of moments. That figure is hard for us to imagine here. We have not had that sort of devastation in America. Sure, we have seen reports of tidal waves and other natural disasters overseas, but not here in North America. It is hard to relate to that magnitude of loss of life. Just to give one example, for eight or so years we have heard the death toll of American soldiers in Iraq. By contrast, in World War II, we lost more American soldiers in one week than we have lost in the entire war effort in Iraq. I am not saying this in support of any war, but just by way of comparison. In present day America, we are out of touch with large scale loss of life, property, and modern conveniences. Heck, we get annoyed and upset when we lose electricity for three days following a hurricane.

One thing that I know for sure is that aid to Haiti or any other nation in times of disaster should not be a matter of politics. It is not a Democrat or Republican matter. America is the most generous nation in the world. As a nation, we often have huge fundraisers for aid in times of disaster. We annually have telethons for non-profit organizations that work for disease research and medical cures. We support religious organizations, relief workers, sponsor missionaries, and have "foster children" overseas for whom we send monthly donations. After Hurricane Katrina, we sent millions of dollars in food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and even cleaning supplies to victims. I see that there are upcoming telethons to raise money for relief efforts. I have seen footage of US soldiers continuously hauling food and water into Haiti. Supplies are constantly being flown by military aircraft and hauled by US ships. We as Americans are paying for all of those relief supplies, fuel, and manpower with our tax dollars. In times of national disaster, I have no problem with assisting with the rescue of and preservation of human life.

In the aftermath, I have heard pundits pontificating on things such as the reason for the disaster, the amount of relief that should be sent to the nation, and for merciful giving. I have heard a former President of the United States optimistically claim that the United States will rebuild the nation of Haiti. I have heard talk show hosts railing against the concept of nation building. This too, should not be a matter upon which to capitalize politically. To preserve life, safeguard against the further loss of life, and helping to feed and clothe victims of natural disaster is one thing. To pay to rebuild an entire nation is another. The United States has always responded favorably to crisis situations like in Haiti from the private sector and by all accounts and projections, we will again.

I am not going to say that I subscribe to Pat Robertson's assertion that the earthquake is a direct result of that nation's leadership making a pact with Satan. I will say, however, that Haiti has not positioned itself financially and culturally in a manner that would allow it to prosper and rebound effectively. Perhaps such a large scale disaster will necessitate some changes in its national conscience. Perhaps they will see the aid that has come from more prosperous, generous nations and seek to emulate that culture. Perhaps the people of Haiti will also be receptive to the followers of a compassionate God sharing the love of Christ for them. Many missionaries have already labored and now died in Haiti for the love of Christ. We as a people now have the opportunity to share that same love for them in their time of need.

Part of me wants to get on a plane and go to Haiti to assist in relief efforts. The reality is that it is not practical for me to do so. I can, however, do my part in supporting the efforts of those who can go and in the purchase of relief supplies. As much as I have disdain for the way Haiti has run its government, treated its people, and turned to false and evil religions during its history, the love of Christ for my fellow man is greater than my political and civil biases. May it be that way for us all, and may out of our own personal hearts and abundance show ourselves generous.