The tragic earthquake in Japan last week and the devastating tsunami that followed are nothing short of heart-breaking. We’re praying for all of those affected by the disaster, and we ask you to please pray as well.
In the midst of his suffering, Job cried out to the Lord in despair and even anger, emotions most people can easily relate to. What Catholic hasn’t felt that God has tested him or her with what we think are unreasonable hardships? Job, too, believed the tragedies that happened to him—the death of his children, the slaughter of his servants, the destruction of his home and livestock—were things he didn’t deserve.
For Mona Deval, the Haiti earthquake didn’t end with the last tremor, but with a question mark. She tells how she searched among the corpses at the hospital; checking every bruised and lifeless face; fearing one would be her husband. Never finding him.
Right now, people in Haiti are busy clearing away rubble from the January earthquake in trucks and wheelbarrows. There’s much work to be done, but Port-au-Prince and the surrounding towns are slowly putting buildings, shops, and homes back together. Yet underneath the surface lies things that are still broken and will take years to heal, like the hearts of the survivors who’ve lost so much.
In the midst of despair people around the world have been touched by the faith and resilience of the Haitian people in the months following the devastating earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, killing thousands and leaving more than 1 million people homeless.
Cross International Catholic Outreach President Jim Cavnar and several staff members recently returned from a trip to Haiti. During their time in the earthquake-devastated country, they visited several of the ministries we are helping during this time of recovery.