Thursday, January 21, 2010

hay muchos corazones rotos y llenos de dolor

Yaneth loves Jesus and lives like it. She loves people. She trusts God and uses medicine to heal people. And she prays.

Yaneth is the staff nurse for Children of the Nations in the Dominican Republic. Right now, she's helping victims of the earthquake in Haiti. She e-mailed one of the members of our team from the summer to share specific prayer concerns. She asked us to pray for the flood of victims coming into Dominican cities, into the city of Barahona, and into the Children of the Nations clinic.

Her e-mail described the physical needs of the clinic (gauze, antibiotics, a portable x-ray...) But then, she closed with a final request: to pray for the spiritual needs of the people. "Hay muchos corazones rotos y llenos de dolor" Translated: There are many broken hearts, full of pain.

Then, an article from USA Today captured the only hope that can heal broken hearts:
"Josita Petit sat on a flattened cardboard box in her new home — a tent shared with several other families — and quietly read her Bible. Her home flattened and her 15-year-old daughter missing, Petit bit her bottom lip when she spoke.

"I have nothing left. It is all gone," she said. "The only thing I have left is Jesus Christ."
I asked her a few more questions, took my notes, then placed my hand on her arm.

"He will never abandon you," I promised. She smiled and nodded. I wanted to tell her that Haiti would be OK. I wanted to tell her that the world will continue to care and that the city would be rebuilt and that her government would restore itself and care for its people, but I couldn't bring myself to lie.
The people are durable. The Haitian people are full of faith and will get up and find a way to survive. I wish I was as confident about the country." (Torres, 2010.)

Praise be to our God who holds governments in His hands. This is His world. These are His people.


While we're on earth, there will always be broken hearts in need of healing. Full of pain. But there's hope. Real, hope to can hold onto.

"because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” -Revelation 7:17 NET


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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

hey guys