I wanted to take this space to talk about the situation in Haiti, and what we as believers in Jesus Christ can do to help. This earthquake is the worst catastrophe in the Western hemisphere in the last 200 years. Latest reports are that as many as 200,000 people are dead, and 1.5 million more are homeless.

Somebody once said that our hearts should break with the things that break the heart of God. This is one of those times. We know that the Lord sees the suffering that is going on in that country, and the people who are hurting--and we know that He loves them. And I think it would be wonderful if one of the first hands that they see coming toward them in this disaster is the hand of Jesus Christ, through His people. We pray that the doors for involvement of His church will be multiplied, and that the right people would be there representing Him, helping these folks in their dire need. We also pray that the Lord would be glorified in the midst of this disaster, and that this would be a wonderful example of how God and God's children respond during a crisis.

So how can we respond as the body of Jesus Christ? No teams can go in right now, as governments and international bodies are dealing with the emergency medical situation. But at the earliest opportunity, my own church will be sending in teams who have been trained for this type of relief work by the Billy Graham Association. We'll have medical teams, followed by chaplains and then construction teams.

But what the people of Haiti need the most are the basics of life...food, water, clothing, and shelter. My church has sent hygiene kits and money for water filtration systems to provide fresh water on that island.

I don't know where you're reading this, whether in another part of the country or someplace halfway around the world. But maybe your local church has a fund established to help in Haiti. If so, I encourage you to donate to it. Or you can check in at our website (calvaryabq.org) for a way you can get involved. Also, samaritanspurse.org is a great website to visit. They can give you more specifics, what hygiene kits and temporary shelters cost, and different ways to contribute. That's what is most needed at this point.

But over all of this, I encourage you to pray for the people in Haiti. Because our loving Heavenly Father has said, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15).