I'll confess: I don't feel that I have had the proper response to the disaster in Haiti. I find myself praying that God would break my heart for what breaks His own, and yet, I have been pretty insensitive to this whole disaster. I haven't done anything to help.
I'll admit: I feel trapped. I feel like my present circumstances keep me from being able to do what I really want to do. If I could have, I would have hopped on to a flight to Haiti and rushed to join the groups of people bringing relief. Instead, I feel like I have to wait till I'm an "adult" (or at least out of school) to really start living, to really start making a difference.
If I call myself a follower of Jesus Christ,
I conclude: I've fallen prey to the mentality that strikes far too many people. This mentality that breeds passivity and inaction, that emphasizes personal distance from a given catastrophe, that says, "This has nothing to do with you" or "If you can't go down there and help, you can't do anything."
I find myself wondering, for the about the millionth time:
What can I do?
How can I help?
Me.
A small, happy college student stuck in big, suffering world.
If, given that, I'm supposed to be like Jesus,
And if Jesus' first sermon went a little like this:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Then who am I?
What I am doing here?
Why am I not doing anything to further that mission?
And why do I get so comfortable with my life as the world rages on around me?
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1 comments:
Claire.. I can see where you're coming from. I've often stopped myself and realized that I've become insensitive to the pain around me. It's so easy in this "bubble" even to ignore people in Waco and what they're dealing with. Thanks for putting this feeling into words.
One word of encouragement.. according to a missionary in Haiti, they don't want people to come down and bring relief unless they are doctors/nurses so it's OK that you weren't able to rush down there and help.
Also.. just wanted to let you know that you are making a difference in my life. You have inspired and encouraged me so much since I met you and I'm very glad we're friends.
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