Thursday, January 14, 2010

"Help me Praise Him!!"

One of you sent me a verse today that was not only very fitting to what we are experiencing, but very encouraging as well...Ps. 46, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed...Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."

This morning we spent an hour just sitting with our neighbors who have lost their children in the earthquake. Tonight I can say their names, for those of you who know the people here. Emmanuel Francius is the director of our kid's High School. He and his wife lost their daughter and granddaughter. And Dr. Sider and his wife lost a daughter and a son. It was heart wrenching to sit with them, and we all wept as we mourned with them. The are two incredibly strong Christian families, and while they grieved painfully, they made it clear they still trusted God. At one point, one of the grieving parents cried out, "Help me praise Him! I can't do it on my own, pray with me, sing with me. Help me praise Him!"

As I read this verse later this morning that phrase "I will be exalted in the earth" really struck me. If you don't read the first part of the Psalm, it would be difficult to imagine how God could be exalted in the midst of such great tragedy, pain and suffering. But when you stop for a bit, remembering He is God, He is our refuge, and our strength...somehow it becomes possible. It was as Linda sat there and reminded our friend that He is her strength and refuge that she cried out with her request to help her praise Him. I know they have many dark days ahead of them as they grieve their loss, but what a blessing that they have a Heavenly Father who is there with them to be their very "present help in trouble".

Please continue to pray for these two families, and add to them the many others who are finding out little by little which ones of their family members are alive and which ones have passed away. One of our nurses lost a brother, another doctor lost her mother, still others have not yet heard any news of their loved ones.

We heard from Dr. Boucher very late last night. We only got to speak to him for a few seconds. He sounded exhausted from trying to run his hospital with the hundreds of sick piling in. He confirmed that they did lose their house and pretty much everything they owned. We encouraged him to send his wife and kids to the HOH so they could stay here until things clear up. Unfortunately, there just aren't a lot of options to get them out of the neighborhood where they are and up here. We continue to pray that we'd be able to work that out though.

We have not been able to have any contact with them whatsoever today. Different men from La Pointe are talking of trying to get to PAP and find those they can and bring them back here, so we'll see if they are successful or not. From what we see on the news it seems like that might be an impossible task.

One piece of good news we got today was that someone has spoken with Miss Marie Ange, so she was our last young adult in PAP that we hadn't heard from. So all of our kids who live there are alive and accounted for...what a blessing and reason to do some serious praising!!!

So with that thought I leave you all tonight....Help us Praise Him!

4 comments:

Liquidlight said...

Jenny,

It's your uncle David and Sheri in North Carolina. We are praying for all of you and the loved ones lost. Sheri and I cry as we see the carnage in the streets and pray that many more will be found alive.

God Bless
David & Sheri Nussbaum

Ken said...

Jenny and Linda,
Vicki sent us this blog and we are so glad to hear that Carl Evans and Dr. Bouchers family are ok (as well as the others). Did Manno not go school as well? (or is he done?)
Haiti has not left our hearts and we think and pray for you all often.
May God be near as you go through this.
If there is some way we can help-please let us know.
Linda Vaags

Unknown said...

Jenny,

I have been thinking of you and praying for you and the whole of Haiti.

Tryphena

nady said...

I am not sure that you remember me. I was there in House of Hope in '98. I have been trying to find you on and off but i have never stopped praying for you, Da and the children. I was wondering if you could contact with me with any form I can help. e-mails are ndgreen@liberty.edu and ngreen@floridachristian.org; i am in facebook under Nadiuska Green; and my address is 8225 sw 44 street miami, fl 33155.
we were a group of 3 (miami,new york, and texas) I remember madame pafacil, kevinslee and gerda (i doubt i spelled it right) i have never stopped thinking about you and sharing with others about what you do.
since ufm closed i have been trying to find you but there are so many HOUSE OF HOPE ministries i have hit empty holes till today.
God bless you. Be still and know that I am God. please contact me.