We went into the tent city today wondering what would happen.
Thousands of people last night had flooded Twitter with pleas to media and NGOs to help get food, supplies, and medicine to this community we had found yesterday.
Thank you for so quickly falling in love with the families we met that needed so much.
When we arrived shortly before 9 am, the people had planted a church – various tarps and sheets with a small area to use as a stage. Music began immediately, and people filed in singing, dancing, and thanking God for the help that was to come.
The tent city is in a valley, a flood area. To get to it, you walk down a paved road and turn down a dirt road full of rocks and head down an incline. As people kept singing “God is my provision” and “I have no other source but God” I kept looking up from the valley, up the hill, waiting for a caravan of supplies or media to show up.
The verse went through my head, “I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from?”
I began losing faith.
An hour had passed, and nobody had met us.
We began praying for hundreds of people in the church – they lined up for our team members, and each of us with a translator would hear their request, and we would pray for them. For healing, for protection, for food. I even dedicated a baby (as you can see, she was thrilled).
I kept looking up the hill.
Nothing.
—
Adam came up to me and asked if I had seen the Cuban Medical team arrive on the other side of the camp.
Seriously?
I took off, alone, but armed with Lars’ iPhone (mine broke on the trip the second day) and hiked the quarter mile through the dust to the other area. Sure enough. A medical team from Cuba was there and had set up shop, looking at people, and giving antibiotics and vaccinations and water.
Help had come.
—
By the time I returned to the church-side of the tent city, half of our team decided to go to the airport – where all the official relief was being coordinated – to get some supplies and help. They worked their way in, cut through red tape, pretended to know more than they did, and were able to register the cities to receive official help.
They weren’t able to get food though.
And that wasn’t acceptable.
So they did what they could.
They went to the grocery store and spent $60,000 Haitian dollars on food. That’s about $2000 US. And they took it back to the tent city to distribute it through its leaders.
Help had come.
—
As our team drove away from the tent city, now with medicine, water, and food to make do until they begin receiving official assistance, a UNICEF truck was pulling in to take an assessment.
Help had come.
—
As I said in the earlier post, we didn’t know what today would look like. We just knew we needed to show up. We prayed and worshipped with our new friends, waiting for help.
Help had come.
What was desolate and unknown yesterday has now been provided for today, and will receive provision in the future. Those who were forgotten are now known.
Faith wins.
Again.
—
Comments
32 responses to “Where Does My Help Come From?”
?Start by doing what?s necessary; then do what?s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.?? St. Francis of Assisi
.-= Gail Hyatt?s last blog ..A Mother?s Modus Operandi: ?Bloom Where You Are Planted.? =-.
Amen!!
.-= Reese?s last blog ..Dear ME: Get thee behind me =-.
I second that Amen!!
Here Here!!! 3rd-ing!
that’s an incredible quote. writing it down right now…
.-= Elora?s last blog ..first steps =-.
Miracles are happening. People keep praying.
Amen.
.-= Linda Stoll?s last blog ..Got Margins? =-.
This is amazing. thank you for sharing. Michaela
That’s a wonderful story. Thank you for caring about the people of Haiti.
.-= Kass?s last blog ..The identity of comparison =-.
Chills. “Faith wins. Again.” Keep at it, Anne. We’re all on this side praying and tweeting and RTing!
.-= Hannah Beth?s last blog ..And I Wonder =-.
Faith wins. Again.
Faith wins. Every time!
Our God is amazing, isn’t He?
.-= Rachel?s last blog ..haiku for my sister =-.
Wonderful news! We’ve been praying. Thank you for sharing with us what’s happening there. Praying even more help comes.
.-= Kimberly Wenger?s last blog ..February 14, 2010 =-.
Praise the Lord….
.-= Reese?s last blog ..Dear ME: Get thee behind me =-.
We have to keep our eyes up! Thanks so much for sharing this story of faith, answered prayer and hope!
.-= Tracy?s last blog ..Book Review: Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh =-.
Anne, this is so cool that you’re doing this. Keep up the great work!
.-= brett barner?s last blog ..MMH5 ? Five Signs Your Pastor May Be Obsessed With LOST =-.
Oh. Anne.
Jehovah-shammah. The Lord is there.
Thank you for being His hands and feet.
.-= Sandra Heska King?s last blog ..Patience Now =-.
Anne, I echo Kass comment “Thank you for caring about the people of Haiti.”
Thanks for sharing, we continue to pray for you, your team, all the relief agencies/doctors, and the people in Haiti.
Praising God! Thank you for this update.
Faith wins every time – our God is SO much bigger then we allow in our minds! Continuing to pray….
In the words if Isaiah, “He gives beauty for ashes. Gladness for mourning. Peace for despair.”
Yea God. Thanks for coming. Yea God’s children for being His hand and feet. Bless you.
God receives the glory. You and your team get kudos, too! Way to keep the faith. Thanks for the updates. We all need to hear these real-life stories.
.-= Cindy Graves?s last blog ..Help Haiti Live, February 27 =-.
Wonderful post!
One thing that amazes me (sorry, I’m a techie) is that despite all this physical destruction across the landscape and the economic situation of the country in its pre-earthquake state, technology such as internet and cell phones appear to be quite prevalent and useful there. Is that the case everywhere, or are you accessing these resources from some type of home-base?
We are using Twitter via iPhones (shared) because ATT has free data/text/calls. The signal, for the most part, is good.
Internet is another beast. We are hitting 2kbs/second and not much faster than that, so we share a few 3g cards (also slow) but we do all connect from our base. It just takes a LONG time. (800 kb video from yesterday=90 minutes to upload).
Prayed for you and for the people throughout the day. Thank you for being there. Praying for your strength, your heart and your body as you serve and love in whatever situation you find yourself in. Grateful for you, friend!
Praise God for His faithfulness! We continue to lift you and your team up as Haiti is our family. My Father-in-law is receiving funding as the Haitian gov. has given him 200 acres near Colora for milenium-like village… On another note, I’m finishing Naked Gospel- great read in grace you endorsed. Keep the testimonies coming! Eph 3:20
God’s love is absolute–perfect, complete, and real. He loves us all! Imagine what will happen when the same things you witnessed today flood the earth. Joy will fill our hearts when we realize that Christ has made the way for God’s love and light to saturate every dark and desperate place. Continue to be bold and of good cheer!
.-= patriciazell?s last blog ..#30 BECOMING A SON OF GOD: THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (2) =-.
This filled me up and made me smile!! Praise God for this amazing, beautiful story.
.-= Jamie, the Very Worst Missionary?s last blog ..Fighting Dirty. =-.
hallelujah!!
Incredible stuff Anne. Praying for you everyday!
proof that God is still in the business of making miracles.
.-= Crystal Renaud?s last blog ..?No, I am Single.? =-.
wow, anne.
“i lift my eyes up to the hills, from where my help comes from…”
when i saw that phrase in the post, immediately my mind jumped to the song: “and i will wait for you, you are my only hope – you are my only prayer…” so amazing to see his word and promises being lived out before our eyes. continuing to pray as you make your way back to the states.
.-= Elora?s last blog ..first steps =-.
Faith wins again. Amen!
.-= Katie?s last blog ..Who?s Qualified? =-.
Thank you for sharing about your experience in Haiti, it really helps me to put faces to all the needs that are in that country now.
Also I love the line “Those who were forgotten are now known” It just speaks to something in my heart. Even in the most desperate of times when we feel forgotten by other people, by our friends and family, even by God we can have faith that we are known.