Once again. . . a devastating disaster!

Once again the world has been rocked with the news of another devastating disaster. As the reports come rolling in this morning from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, we all hold our breath in anticipation of horrendous statistics cataloging the injuries and loss of life from this massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

And once again, so many of us stand by on the sidelines listening and watching and wondering what we could possibly do to help. It is at times like this that I wonder just how we can live out Paul's commendation to the Philippians for sharing the "same struggles" he was experiencing.

As I write this, we are awaiting more news of a local church-planting organization called Haitian Calvary International Ministries (HCIM) that has been a Ministry Partner of our UK affiliate, World Share.  Telephone contact was possible this morning with Luckner Simphil, the director of HCIM, who happened to be in Tampa, FL, and already he has reported "a lot of church people are dead."  Unfortunately, the main phone lines are down with La Gonave island where much of the ministry work is located. We do know that all of HCIM's ministry work is within a close radius of the epicenter of the earthquake and its aftershocks (see map.) We will try to have more updates about HCIM on our Partners International website as they become available.

One thing is for sure, this will be another disaster that will leave thousands of people in desperate need. For that reason, we have already initiated a relief fund for those who want to begin contibuting toward relieving that need. (Click here for more information.) We will coordinate our relief efforts with our World Share colleagues and do all that is possible to help HCIM and our devastated brothers and sisters in Haiti.

A Blessing for Nightwatchmen

Yesterday, in my personal time of worship, I read Psalm 134 and was impressed with focus on the night watchmen of the temple.  This is the last of the "songs of ascent" that begin with Psalm 120 and end with 134. Apparently, they were songs sung by pilgrims who traveled from afar on their way to Jerusalem and the temple. But unlike the rest of the psalms in the series, this little, three-verse psalm is a special encouragement to those who are probably least remembered: the night watchmen. They had to be the ones who had the most boring job, who missed out on all the excitement of worship and celebration during the day, who most people didn't even remeber they were working there at the temple.

Yet, this special group of Levites get their own special "song of ascent" just for them. The psalmist says: Oh bless the Lord...you who serve as night watchmen in the house of the Lord. Lift your hands in holiness and bless the Lord.

What a great reminder that no matter how insignficant we might think our job is, it is still important to God. In fact, our work should be done with a sense of reverence toward the One we serve, so that when we lift our hands in accomplishing that job, it is done with holiness, as an act of worship to Him.

This made me think of all the "night watchmen" that are a part of our Ministry Partners around the world. These are brothers and sisters that are "out of sight" to most of us, whose jobs may seem mundane and commonplace.  But ultimately they are just as much a part of the Body of Christ as the rest of us. And their labor is also a means of praising and blessing our God.

Ps 134 ends with this thought: May the LORD, who made heaven and earth bless you from Jerusalem. Even the night watchmen deserve a blessing from the ultimate Creator of the universe. So do all those who labor unseen in the advancement of God's Kingdom around the world!