Feb

The Bigger Problem Caused by the Idaho Missionaries

Valerie Johnson on February 9th, 2010

Over the past month, a day has not passed that most of us haven’t read, seen, heard, or tweeted something about Haiti. We have watched the devastation of the earthquake, donated money and supplies. Some have even gone to Haiti and donated their time and talents.

For many of us, the most heart wrenching thing about the aftermath of the earthquake is the orphans and children who need care and are desperate for medical attention. The Haitian government acted swiftly to move on behalf of children who were already candidates for adoption, had met their adoptive parents and whose paperwork was in progress. In addition, our state department and other countries are working with Haitian authorities to place orphans with adoptive families. But they want to be sure that these children will be treated well and not used for illegal purposes.

Unfortunately, some groups have decided to act outside the Haitian legal system. The missionaries from Idaho went to Haiti intending to do something good. However, it seems that they were misled by their leader, Laura Silsby, who was told ahead of time that she didn’t have proper documentation to take the children from Haiti to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. As a result, she and the rest of the group now sit in a Haitian jail.

The Domino Effect

Ms Silsby’s actions caused a cascading domino effect that eventually harms those and other children. Since their arrest, it has become increasingly difficult to send children from Haiti to other countries for much needed surgeries and medical treatment. Why? Because the authorities aren’t sure the children aren’t being abducted.

I followed a scenario on Twitter where Pastor Shaun King tweeted day and night to get help for baby Landina. Landina was awaiting approval from the Ministry of Health to leave Haiti for surgery to replace a bone in her skull with a titanium plate; a delicate and complicated procedure. This baby is only one of more than 1,000 children who need surgery. Fortunately, baby Landina will receive treatment. The fate of thousands of other children is still in limbo, made more difficult because of a group of people who meant well but ignored proper protocol.

Don’t Let Your Good Be Spoken of As Evil

Jesus said to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s (Matthew 22:21). In this case it means respecting the process for Haitian adoption and going through proper protocol to take children out of the country. In our sincere desire to help others, it is important that we remember Romans 14:16 – “don’t let your good be spoken of as evil.”

Rules, protocol and red tape can be extremely frustrating, especially when we only want to help someone. I know that someone is reading this and saying rules are made to be broken. Go to Haiti and break their rules, you may wind up in prison.

What do you think of this?

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Tags: American missionaries in Haiti, Haiti, Haitian adoptions, Idaho missionaries in Haiti, tweeting for Haiti

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Jan

The Power of Faith and Prayer in Haiti

Valerie Johnson on January 20th, 2010

This guest post was written by Fred Johnson, III

Yesterday I watched with amazement as a 70 year old woman was pulled from the broken and shattered slabs of concrete, rubble, litter and waste of a collapsed building in Haiti. The woman had been trapped in the debris for seven (7) days with out food, water or any companionship. The conventional wisdom, according to search and rescue experts, is that individuals trapped in homes or buildings that have been demolished due to an earthquake or a natural disaster can survive about 72 hours without water if they are in reasonably good health and maybe 5-7 days without food. In all cases, they say, the immediate enemy of survival is dehydration and not hunger, because the human body needs water more than food to maintain the fluidity and operations of its metabolism and internal organs. Yet when this woman was pulled from the rubble, she was not comatose, lethargic or dispirited; instead she came out with joy in her heart, singing a song of praise and giving thanks to God for his everlasting love.

I’ve noticed a pattern that as the Haitian people are pulled from these collapsed and demolished buildings, they come out rejoicing and proclaiming that God is good and has answered their prayers. As I watched this scene over and over again, it has become apparent to me that their praise towards God is a testament of their faith and the power of prayer. How else can you explain being trapped in this dark empty pit, with no one around to encourage you or keep your spirits lifted, nothing to eat or drink, the stench of death all around you, the relentless whispers and chants of Satan repeating over and over again that no one is coming to save you and that you’re going to be buried alive, the uncertainty of not knowing whether people think you’re alive, dead or a rotting corpse in this concrete graveyard; and through all of their fears, despairs, doubts and hopelessness, they come out of this lifeless abyss with a song on their lips and words of praise for God’s love and mercy.

I listen to ignorant and cynical people such as Dr. Pat Robertson who publicly and prophetically proclaimed the earthquake as God’s punishment towards the Haitian people for making a deal with the devil, and I’ve heard some of the religious and righteous pundits stereotype many of the Haitian people as being voodoo worshippers; and yet none of the survivors that came out of these hell-holes and into the marvelous light praised Satan or some voodoo god or some amulet around their neck for saving them. All of them came out with joy in their hearts and the knowledge and conviction that it was their prayers and faith in God that pulled them through. Just before Jesus healed the demonic boy (Mark 9:17-29), he told the boy’s father that all things are possible if you just believe. The Haitian survivor’s have shown us that all things are possible when you pray and believe.

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Tags: faith and prayer in Haiti, miracles in Haiti, praise and worship in Haiti, prayer, rescue in Haiti

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Jan

Supplies for Haiti – Drop Off Location in Austell, GA

Valerie Johnson on January 14th, 2010

Destiny World Church and Destiny Christian Academy are working in conjunction with Project South to collect supplies for the people of Haiti. If you can donate, please use the list below that was provided by Project South.

Collection boxes are in the church foyer, administrative lobby and the school lobby. You can drop items off during the week between 9 AM and 5 PM in the church administrative offices; or during school hours at the academy.

If you live or work in South Cobb, this location is convenient to you. It is near Six Flags, between Six Flags Drive and Thornton Road.

Destiny World Church is located at 7400 Factory Shoals Road – Austell, GA 30168