Through His Eyes

I just spent about an hour hanging out with a local man, Adolfo, who is also the gardener for the grounds where Carey and I live. We've become friends recently, and tonight the subject of God came up. He asked me if I believed in God and I said I did, and he went on to say that so many people in the world don't anymore. He then told me a little about his story: his father had committed suicide when he was 5, and then his mom died of cancer when he was 7. His four sisters were placed with friends around town, but when he was 13 he rescued two of them out of the home they were living in because he heard they were being mistreated. He was working full-time then and had saved enough money to get a small place for him and his two sisters. He's worked full-time ever since, and is about to complete his high school (diversificado) degree (he takes classes on the weekends). He's now 25 years old, with a wife and 3 children of his own. He just barely scrapes by every month.
After telling me all this, something he said caught me a little off guard; he said, "So many poor people here in Guatemala believe in God and say 'Thank you for this food,' 'Thank you God for this job,' and 'Thank you Lord for my health.' What I don't understand is, why don't more people in the United States believe in God? Wouldn't they be the most thankful of all?"

I've always struggled to understand how people, like those in Guatemala and especially those in Haiti now, can seemingly have so little to be thankful for and to believe in and yet, often times seem to be the most thankful and have the most steadfast belief? It makes me wonder... why is it that the things that you and I so desire to have, once attained, turn out to be the things that end up distracting us most from what we really need?

Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." While living in Guatemala, I've learned that true treasure is rarely shiny, and there is one thing that I must never, ever forget: always be in need - it's good for the soul.

Peace friends,

Jay

Methodist Leaders Die from Quake

More sad news from Haiti...the man who trained Carey and me for our mission in Guatemala, Clinton Rabb, Director of Volunteers in Mission, died this morning from wounds sustained when his hotel collapsed during the earthquake. We hadn't heard anything from Clinton, or Sam Dixon, the Executive Director of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), until two days ago when a report was issued that they had both survived the quake, despite being trapped under rubble for 55 hours. The reports, however, turned out to be premature.
We're sad to lose our Methodist brothers, who have worked tirelessly to share the love of God by reaching out to and providing for the neediest in our world. Please pray for the families they leave behind, and especially for those Sam and Clinton so desired to help - the people of Haiti.
Peace,
Jay

ps - perhaps the most effective prayer is the one that's followed up with a generous donation to one of the many relief organizations in Haiti (Red Cross, World Vision, Salvation Army, UNICEF, International Relief Teams, among many others). Research charities before donating at www.charitynavigator.org. The best charities give around 90% or more of your donation directly to those in need (instead of towards administration, etc.)