Photo Provided by: Logan Abassi/ UN Photo
In the Eye of the Storm
Written By: Emmanuella Williams
As I scrolled through my Facebook feed last week and looked through pictures of Haiti post Hurricane Matthew, I had the most horrible thought... could this county, my country, my Haiti Cherie be cursed? Could this country be damned to fail and never bear fruit? How can a country barely survive a horrific earthquake in 2010 only to have almost 900 people die in a Hurricane just 6 years later? Should I just stop giving, caring, feeling, hoping and praying for this land that made me? These are all of the emotions that I've felt this week as people started to post links to donation sites... does it even matter, when it feels like even God has forgotten about Haiti. But he has a funny way of speaking to me when I've closed my eyes, ears and heart. Last night after dinner, my 6 year old son started singing this song out of no where at the top of lungs:
In the eye of the storm
You remain in control
And in the middle of the war
You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor
When my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me
In the eye of the storm
This made my heart almost stop. In that moment God was reminding me that there was nothing for me to question, doubt or fear but only to trust that regardless of what I think... he remains in total control. The first verse and chorus of this song only deepens that feeling... almost as if Ryan Stevenson wrote this song last year for what was happening today:
When the solid ground is falling out from underneath my feet
Between the black skies, and my red eyes, I can barely see
When I realize I've been sold out by my friends and my family
I can feel the rain reminding me
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me
In the eye of the storm
The picture above reminds me to "Be still and know that he is always God"... Yesterday (during the earthquake), Today (during the hurricane), and Tomorrow (Cholera and whatever else may come). Just as this father has his little girl on his shoulders, God has his daughter - Haiti on his broad shoulders above the fray, and flood. Instead of anger and fear, I'm am going to choose to be hopeful and think of the video that was posted of my fellow Haitians praising God as Hurricane Matthew tore through our homeland... I now know what they've always known... "His love surrounds me(Haiti) in the eye of the storm".
In the eye of the storm
You remain in control
And in the middle of the war
You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor
When my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me
In the eye of the storm
This made my heart almost stop. In that moment God was reminding me that there was nothing for me to question, doubt or fear but only to trust that regardless of what I think... he remains in total control. The first verse and chorus of this song only deepens that feeling... almost as if Ryan Stevenson wrote this song last year for what was happening today:
When the solid ground is falling out from underneath my feet
Between the black skies, and my red eyes, I can barely see
When I realize I've been sold out by my friends and my family
I can feel the rain reminding me
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me
In the eye of the storm
The picture above reminds me to "Be still and know that he is always God"... Yesterday (during the earthquake), Today (during the hurricane), and Tomorrow (Cholera and whatever else may come). Just as this father has his little girl on his shoulders, God has his daughter - Haiti on his broad shoulders above the fray, and flood. Instead of anger and fear, I'm am going to choose to be hopeful and think of the video that was posted of my fellow Haitians praising God as Hurricane Matthew tore through our homeland... I now know what they've always known... "His love surrounds me(Haiti) in the eye of the storm".
How You Can Help...
Unfortunately, many organizations have taken advantage of Haiti's misfortunes for personal gain or profit. Please consider donating to through the organizations below or any other organization that you have vetted and trust. If you aren't able to give... please consider volunteering your time and of course you can always Pray.
Organizations:
http://www.mandodo.org
http://www.gaskov.org
http://www.haitianhealthfoundation.org
Unfortunately, many organizations have taken advantage of Haiti's misfortunes for personal gain or profit. Please consider donating to through the organizations below or any other organization that you have vetted and trust. If you aren't able to give... please consider volunteering your time and of course you can always Pray.
Organizations:
http://www.mandodo.org
http://www.gaskov.org
http://www.haitianhealthfoundation.org