A Prayer for Haiti
14 July 2021
Dear Friends in Faith,
During March Madness a few months ago, Christ Our Shepherd demonstrated amazing generosity by sharing $17,500 in the HOOPS FOR HAITI campaign to support Jesus’ ministry among the poorest country in our hemisphere. Therefore, I thought you’d be interested in the most recent update from the Haitian Timoun Foundation regarding the very disturbing challenges faced by our friends in Haiti. Please note the call for all to dedicate some moments today, Wednesday March 14, to say a prayer for Haiti; you may use the petitions at the bottom of the article.
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Fritz
Haitian Timoun Foundation Update
“The situation in Haiti has devolved into a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. The brutal assassination of President Jovenel Moise has exacerbated already critical circumstances. In the past three years, gang violence has wreaked havoc across the country as the police and military have had little ability to stop the rampant spread of kidnappings and murders.
This move toward chaos and anarchy within Haiti has meant that our Haitian partners must be extraordinarily careful and resourceful in continuing to create life-giving impact. Families are without food and access to healthcare. The regular operation of schools, the marketplace, places of business, and transportation have all been negatively affected by the rise of gang violence and systemic unrest.
The assassination of the President has resulted in Haiti declaring a 15-day lockdown as officials seek to get a handle on what has happened and garner international support. In the meantime, people are suffering.
There is currently both a short-term and long-term need in Haiti. In the short term, we want to provide our Haitian partners the resources they need to care for the people they serve right now. In the long term, we pray for the development of a relational network of diversely educated and experienced leaders who can work together to create a consistently stable Haitian infrastructure. In both cases, HTF is poised to help.
Following the 2010 earthquake, The Haitian Timoun Foundation was endorsed by the United States Peace Corps as being one of five reputable US organizations maximizing American contributions into real, grassroots efforts of humanitarian support and development. Because the operational expenses of HTF are covered through Covenant Communities (church partners like Christ Our Shepherd), 100% of all individual contributions go directly to serve the people of Haiti. Your designated funds are not used for administrative expenses.
2021 marks 20 years since the birth of The Haitian Timoun Foundation, which pulls together Lutheran congregations (among other friends) to do God’s work in Haiti.
In the past 2+ decades, we’ve experienced first-hand the strength and tenacity of the Haitian people as they fight every single day simply to live. The Haitian passion, heart, and spirit are an inspiration to the world. But Haiti, like all of us, can’t do it alone. Our Haitian brothers and sisters need our help NOW MORE THAN EVER!
What can you do?
We are asking each of you to set aside one hour on Wednesday, July 14th, for prayer and meditation focused on Haiti. We have prepared a litany prayer that you can use individually or within a group.
We encourage you to read books about the Haitian story so that you can be educated on how Haitian history has led to this point. Suggestions include: Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, To Fool the Rain by Steven Werlin, Haiti after the Earthquake by Paul Farmer and many more.
History of Haiti (short animation – “In Haiti: A roadtrip documentary”)
Through the work of HTF and our Haitian partners, hope is on the horizon for Haiti. We believe in the tenacious spirit and resiliency of our Haitian brothers and sisters and trust that God is leading us together into a new day of life and sustainability for all.
Thank you for your commitment to standing in solidarity and accompaniment with our Haitian family. Your prayers, your voice, your financial support matters.
Bondye beni nou, tout moun! (God bless us, everyone!)
With hope,
HTF International Leadership Team
Haitian Timoun Foundation
Prayer Litany for Haiti 2021
God of love and life, we grieve the pain and suffering of our Haitian brothers and sisters. Hear our prayers as we call upon the Spirit to inspire and guide us in our work toward healing and new life. Hear us, Lord.
Raise up healthy leaders for Haiti. Raise up leaders who put the needs of the nation, the people, and the poor ahead of their own. Raise up leaders who are educated, wise, and experienced. Raise up leaders who network and collaborate with others to create a consistently stable infrastructure. Hear us, Lord.
Hold the people who are suffering, especially the ultra-poor who lack family or community support. Be with the hungry children, the grieving mothers, those facing illness or disease so that they might experience hope and healing. Hear us, Lord.
Inspire us, O God, to do more to aid our Haitian brothers and sisters. Inspire us to love more deeply. Help us not to become fatigued as we accompany our Haitian family. Make us to be more generous with our prayers, time, our voice, and our resources in support of our Haitian partners. Hear us, Lord.
Giver of life, we ask you to guide the leaders of HTF, especially those living and serving in Haiti, that all we do might lead to new life not only for Haiti but for the entire world. May Haiti truly become a nation of death and resurrection, a nation of new life, that can stand as a beacon of hope for other suffering peoples around the world. Hear us, Lord.
May your power of love be witnessed clearly in Haiti, O God, as you draw hundreds, thousands, even millions of people together in solidarity working for a new tomorrow filled with opportunity for all. Use us in making this vision and dream a reality. Use us, Lord.
All of this we pray in the name of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen