Earthquake in Haiti | Threat of Epidemic Still Looming Large
The death toll due to earthquake in Haiti is now estimated to be around 200,000 with more than 1.5 million people homeless.
- Towns have been leveled.
- Hospitals have been shattered.
- Transportation is expensive.
- Administration has been hit badly.
- People are thirsty for water, crying out for food.
- Local toughies are attacking people and looting food.
- Corpses are everywhere.
- Medication is scarcely available.
- The threat of epidemic looms large.
- Haiti needs your prayers.
- Haiti needs Jesus.
The most gruesome epidemics faced by humanity have been during war or some other catastrophe fuelling it. Read my article on Biblical sign of the end times – Epidemics. Given the current situation in Haiti, it is increasingly facing the grave threat of outbreak of epidemics. The problem is compounded by the fact that Haiti is an impoverished nation with most people living on less than $2 a day. The economy is in ruins and there is chronic unemployment. Haiti has been struggling with natural and political disasters frequently. The people have been heavily into occult and voodoo. This earthquake threatens to extinguish the nation. Only Jesus can deliver. Will you cry out to Him for their sake?
This is a heart-wrenching video:
I remember the day when I experienced an earthquake for the first and only time in my life. I was in Ahmedabad, Gujarat at home lazily enjoying the holiday. It was January 26, 2001 – which is the Republic Day of India. The time was 8.45 a.m. I and my Dad were seated at the breakfast table. I was reading the morning newspaper. Suddenly I felt the table shaking. I questioningly looked at my father unable to understand why he was shaking the table. My Dad stared back at me. The next moment I heard cries and saw people rushing out of their homes.
Instantly, I realized its an earthquake. I shouted to Mom (she was in the kitchen) asking her to get out of the house immediately as I and Dad rushed outside. My brother wasn’t at home at that time. When we were out on the streets, I felt the earth moving up and down below my feet. I saw my house trembling. I saw the motorcycle shaking from side to side. All along there was a deep, rumbling sound from inside the ground as if the earth was having an upset stomach and wanted to throw up everything it had inside of it. It was very scary. It lasted only for a few seconds, though. We went back into the house thinking its over. We were all safe. Our house was intact. The aftershocks lasted for days but none were severe.
However, I wasn’t prepared for the scale of tragedy my state had just endured. When I went out later, I realized towering buildings were razed down to the ground burying the residents in rubble. Survivors were screaming. There was chaos all around. The concrete slabs were too heavy to be moved by hand and yet people got together to save lives moving rubble with their bare hands. The administration seemingly took a long time to co-ordinate the rescue effort. There were miracles and there were tragedies.
My uncle’s apartment went down. Fortunately, their family decided to go out early in the morning and so they were not in the house when it happened. When they came back, they found they were left only with their car and the clothes they were wearing. Everything else was buried under the rubble. Many of their neighbours had died. Before long, the army was brought in with heavy equipment to move the rubble. For the next few days, until the rubble was moved completely, my uncle didn’t have the chance to catch a wink. He was at the site all the time to gather whatever was left of their belongings. As the army moved the rubble, out came corpses that were buried under it. By God’s grace my uncle’s family got back most of their valuables, except the furniture that was damaged severely. Then they began the process of rebuilding their lives from scratch. It is really very difficult.
Haiti is far more unfortunate than Gujarat. The administration, rescue efforts, food, medicine and disaster relief was much better than Haiti’s present condition, though at that time it never seemed enough. Haiti is a small country and it is totally flattened by this disaster.
For most people, their home is the biggest investment of their lifetime. When you see your lifetime worth of investment razed to the ground in a moment, there is nothing more saddening than that. It takes tremendous courage to rebuild your life. Most just give up due to hopelessness. The survivors are those who have the grit and the determination to live on.
Let me ask you dear friends, what is your hope? From where do you get the determination to live on?
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Cor 5:1 – NKJV)
Maranatha! Our Lord is coming soon.
Written by: Samson
How do you feel about what you’ve read? Has Jesus spoken to you? Use the comments link below to express your thoughts, feelings, suggestions and ideas. Be Blessed.
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