Have you ever told yourself, "I'm only one person. How can I make a difference?" or "How will my voice ever be heard?" I told myself that TODAY. Silly, silly, silly. How else do revolutions start?!? One person has an amazing (or terrible) idea and others jump on board. Today I was forwarded an email that absolutely crushed my heart and made me want to spring into action.
But I'm only one person, right?
But....I know at least 100 people. And each of those people know another 100 or so people. And those people know another 100 and so on. Eventually this could be national news and that one person DOES, in fact, have a voice that can be heard!
Now on to this email....
Some of my family members attend First Baptist Maypearl, a church that supports a missionary named Jacques who lives and works in Haiti. He sent an urgent email to his supporters on Sunday expressing his concern for his safety, the safety of the children at his orphanage, the Bible school and sewing school ministries he runs. As some of you may or may not know, Haiti is an extremely corrupt country and has been for quite some time. The government has been fairly quiet since most of the aid from the earthquake left the country, or so I thought.
According to Jacques, counterfeit land title people, lawyers and thugs supposedly sent by the government are coming to his town demanding a ransom for their land or else they will be forcibly evacuated. Jacques has authentic titles showing his ownership of the land, but the these people don't care! They have made multiple threats saying if he doesn't pay them, then he and the children will be evicted. Jacques has reached out to the Haitian president's family and they have offered no help and actually expect him to negotiate with the thugs.
These thugs have already demolished part of the land and construction that Jacques has purchased to continue building onto the ministries. They have told Jacques they will be back later this week to kick everyone out of the orphanage unless Jacques complies with their demands. Jacques said he felt like he was bothering others by asking for help in this trying time, but my heart can't fathom what would happen to him and these children if they are evicted.
According to a report released last week, Haiti ranks second in the amount of slaves per population. SECOND!! Most of these slaves are children. My heart breaks at the thought of almost 100 orphans being evicted from the orphanage Jacques runs. I don't want to think about this possibility, but....
So, what can we do? This corruption started with one man named "Papa Doc" many, many years ago. If one person can cause all this evil and somehow gain supporters, then one person can gain more supporters to bring an end to this evil and protect Jacques, the orphans and his city.
First, let's cover Jacques and the orphans under his care with prayers. This has got to be the darkest hour of the life the Lord has called him to.
Second: Post this to your Facebook, Twitter, whatever. Send this information to your prayer partners, friends and family. Talk about it with anyone you can.
Third: Write or call someone who has power to put pressure on the government. Know a city, state or national official? Call them and please share their information in the comments.
This needs to be national news!! How can a "democratic" government do this to its people? I personally love this country and all of its problems, but this is scary and ridiculous. It's time for us to use our voice to put an end to violence, slavery and corruption!!
"Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless..." Isaiah 1:17
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?"
Isaiah 58:6
