THE LOVE OF GOD

Think about His love. The love of God – how sufficient is God’s love for the people of Haiti now? Is God’s love big enough, strong enough, present enough, passionate enough to meet the needs of Haiti following a 7.0 earthquake on January 12, 2010? Yes!

We know God’s love is big, strong, present, and moves with passion. We know God’s love through His Son Jesus; we look back at His love shown for us on the cross. We look today to Jesus for all the love we need to be energized, to be encouraged, and to be enabled to rebuild New Missions. Of all the photos of the earthquake scenes, the one that shook my heart and corrected my posture is the picture of a woman standing, with her back arched, her arms outstretched to their furthest point, and her head lifted high up to the God of love.

God’s love rescued my two sons, their wives, my four grandchildren, and 38 visiting Americans at New Missions. God’s love safely kept everyone in our New Missions’ buildings. Yes, there was great loss to New Missions – with all of our buildings either damaged or destroyed. My son Charlie responded to the great loss and he says, “New Missions is not the buildings. It’s the people.”

God’s love on the darkest night in the history of Haiti was more than enough to inspire our Haitian people–as they sat on the ground, on the dirt roads, to raise their voices to the loudest decibel to praise and glorify God. Their praises drowned out the Voodoo drums, and the sounds of Voodoo soon ceased. The Christian Haitians continued praising God throughout the night on the Leogane Plain.

God’s love is more than enough. Many of you are calling New Missions to give of your finances to help rebuild. One donor was the owner of Infiniti-Blu in the Dominican Republic where I live. Another church called wanting to help rebuild our medical clinic– which was destroyed. God’s love is moving people to ignore their own needs, to sacrifice their own agenda and projects, giving them faith for the future. God’s love is moving strategic people to be in Haiti with my son Charlie–to secure the basics for our ministry to continue.

God’s love is moving governments and organizations around the world to respond to build the new Haiti. God’s love is amazing! I marvel at His wondrous love. Today, January 20, the United States military is occupying our mission compound in Bordmer, Haiti–beginning relief efforts by getting food and

supplies to the people. In addition, there are Cuban nurses ministering to the medical needs of the people at the New Missions High School.

God’s love is there to wipe away every tear, as He made provision with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to hold, hug, and give new hope. The Haitian people will wake up to a new morning after their night of crying, grief, pain, and sorrow.

What can separate you from the love of God? Can an earthquake separate you from God’s love? No! When you say yes to Jesus, nothing will ever separate you from His love. Not today, and not even when you close your eyes on earth; to be absent from the body is to be present with God.

God’s love is present in Haiti. Our hearts are shaken by an earthquake of His love. We have a passion…a longing to be with the Haitian people. Now is the time to preach God’s love to the Haitian people. Come to Jesus, and enjoy the eternal safety of the family of God – where nothing, not even a 7.0 earthquake can separate us from the love of God. God’s love will keep our hearts and flesh from failing.

Are you discouraged? Is New Missions discouraged? Never! I keep feeling God’s love, over and over, within me. I see God’s love expressed by His people. I want to see more than just the needs of the Haitian people met. I want to see this nation rise tall – beauty out of the rubble – beauty out of ashes. We will remember the lives of those lost in this earthquake. We will do all we can to honor their memories in the reconstruction of their land.

I am honored to be alive for this moment in history for the people of Haiti. My desire is to go quickly, and to be with the people of New Missions in the Leogane area. We will praise and thank God, and by faith see the victory of New Missions built better and stronger for His honor and glory.

God’s love will use our Haitian pastors to minister, and bring compassionate help to their people. God’s love will use our Haitian staff to assist relief efforts. God’s love will move the hearts of volunteers to demonstrate to the people that God has not forsaken them. God is bringing about His plans for a new Haiti.

Think about it…how big is God’s love for Haiti? The answer is unimaginable. His love is broad, deep, wide and high – beyond human comprehension. God loves the Haitian people, and He loves you and me.

~Jeanne DeTellis