March 20, 2010

Hello to all,

I am headed off to Haiti again today.  I’ll be gone for three weeks.  The first week I will spend in Gonaives working on some ongoing micro economic and homebuilding projects we already have in process.  We will have a team arriving on the 31st and that is when we will continue our work in Port au Prince.  We will also have a prayer team joining us on the 6th in Port au Prince.  On this trip we will begin focusing on individual families to assess their specific needs to try to get them at least back to where they were prior to the disaster.

I have commented to a few people since my return that I found the end of myself numerous times on this last trip.  I welcome that happening again, as I know I have to get out of the way so Jesus can be seen.  That being said, it is very difficult.  I want to learn to operate with compassion at all times.  The hard part is the constancy of the despair that I encounter.  You see it is fairly easy for me to be compassionate circumstantially, but to live it as a lifestyle requires that I set aside my own emotional/physical desires.  I have come to find I am a very selfish person.  Many times when things get difficult, I stop fully engaging those that I serve because I don’t want to feel hurt.  As I look back on this I am ashamed that I wasn’t always willing to enter into the suffering of the Haitian people.  Sometimes it was just work.  How do I expect to make a difference if I don’t make effort to identify with those that are in despair?  My prayer is that I/we would learn to fully engage those people that are in the disasters we see here and around the world.  That we would make effort to love those who are “down and out” physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially and every way they experience disaster.  We all have disasters we are called to respond to; we just tend to overlook them because we are busy and selfish.  What I do is no more significant than the disaster of a family breaking up or the death of a loved one.  Sure from a newsworthiness perspective not every divorce or death from disease is known by everyone.  But isn’t that where we are called to work, the places where there is no glory to be had, where no one else sees except the one you’re caring for?  Because to them, it is a disaster worthy of aid.  I believe it is always about caring for someone where they see their need to be the greatest.  Hopelessness is the greatest disaster we encounter and I believe that to the measure we are willing to “sit in the dust” with those who are suffering - to that same measure they will be brought hope and relief.  Just as Job’s friends did when they originally came to comfort him.  Then as we all know they got a little mouthy.  Let’s be friends like they were when they first arrived, willing to suffer along with those in need, keeping our advice to ourselves so as to value them.  Rather than try to find a reason they or their society caused the disaster they are in.  Many of the things we see as causes of the disasters in peoples’ lives come from hopelessness.  I believe we should do all we can to remove all of the obstacles to hope, and let God bring what we can only make room for.  Hope and Peace.  That is my prayer for all of us that we receive His Hope and Peace so that we could spread it to those who have not yet experienced it.

 Thank you so very much for your continued support.  We truly cannot do this without you nor do we want to.  The love, prayers, and support we have received have been amazing.  I am humbled to know that you care for us.  This work many times is not easy, but I know it would be unbearable without you all.  I pray that what we do would mirror the heart of so many of you that have given so selflessly to us financially, emotionally, and in praying for us.  Please continue to do this, as we are still in need of finances, emotional support, and prayer so that we may continue to do that which God has called us to do.  Thank you for your faithfulness to us, it brings us Hope and Peace.

Gratefully,

Brian Smith

As the Lord leads, checks may be sent to:  ORR, PO Box 642323, Omaha, NE 68164 with a note saying it’s for Brian & Cody.  Donations may also be made online through our website http://www.omaharapidresponse.org/.

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