A year ago

A year ago today I was . . .
dealing with a 9 month old
probably complaining about the cold/snow
planning a youth ski trip

And then January 12 came along.

I vividly remember being at a high school swim meet and getting a text: 

Have you heard?  There was an earthquake in Haiti.

And a new story began.

A story that involved praying for days for a missing friend.
A story that brought boxes of food, water, and medicine through our garage on its way to Haiti.
A story that added a whole new dimension to our upcoming trip to Jacmel.
A story that changed my worldview forever.

I can honestly say that a year after the earthquake I am not the same person.  I have learned so much this year through my trip to Haiti, through working with HCO, through becoming friends with a missionary, through reading Radical and Operation World. 

This world is big.  There are some 6 billion people in it.  Millions will go to bed tonight without food in their bellies or a warm place to sleep.  And every single one of them need Jesus.

I don't think I would have admitted it a year ago, but I am so convicted now about how comfortable we are in the U.S.  We have everything we ever need and most of the things we want.  And it's so easy to forget about the poor.  The lost.  The lonely.   The wars raging.  The oppression.

And so I choose not to forget. 

Please pray for the people of Haiti, and the many other countries who are not only in dire poverty, but in need of salvation.  If we don't help them, who will?  As David Platt says, "There is no Plan B."

**Sidenote:  If you are interested, I am collecting vitamins and pregnancy tests (both of which can be purchased really cheaply at Dollar General) to ship to a maternity house in Kenya http://themercyhousekenya.org/ I will be shipping these goods out at the end of the month.  If you are interested in helping, please let me know.