Soma Austin Community Church

The current tragedy in Haiti compels us all to stand up and ask how we can help.  As the Body of Christ we are compelled to suffer with those who suffer and to mourn with those who mourn.  To clothe the naked, to feed the hungry and to bring freedom to the oppressed.  And while the nations of the world can come to help Haiti, it is the Body of Christ spread among the nations who is called by God to do so.  With that in mind, I invite the people and friends of Soma Austin to respond.  What can you do?

Learn: Please take the time to learn about what is happening in Haiti.  Not just by watching a horrible series of images across your screen in the half hour newscycle.  Many of you will either change the channel because it is too much to watch repeatedly or you will stop watching when the national news moves on to something else within two weeks.  Watch and read what is going on today and then learn what has gone on for decades.

Mourn with those who mourn, grieve with those who grieve: Cultivate in your heart a compassion for the people of Haiti, ask the Lord for His heart for the people of Haiti.  Don't be desensitized by all the news coverage and do not turn away because you do not know what to do.

Pray: Pray for all those involved.  For families who have lost loved ones, for those who have been injured, for those who are able bodied and helping, for the government of Haiti, for the churches in Haiti, for missionaries in Haiti and pray for those who are supposed to respond and help, including yourself.

Give: Open your wallet and give. There are countless organizations collecting and distributing aid for Haiti at this time.  At Soma Austin we have an existing relationship with several organizations that we will continue supporting:

• Living Water International already has teams on the ground in Haiti and is working to provide relief.  When speaking of the lack of clean water in Haiti, one missionary in Haiti said, "Water is the new currency" meaning that water had become more valuable than money in the aftermath of this tragedy.  Living Water will begin immediatly working to restore 500 wells and handpumps in Haiti to restore water access to over 250,000 people.
  
  This Sunday at Soma Austin ALL tithes and contributions will be donated to Living Water International to support their efforts to restore access to clean water.  And through a generous donor, all of that money will be matched, effectively doubling the donation.
• Buy a Help Haiti T-Shirt at Real Hope for Haiti.  This is a ministry in Haiti working on the ground to love and renew the country.  These are friends of our good friends over at Help End Local Poverty (HELP).

Go!: Yep, go.  I will be working with Living Water to see if we can join them on a trip to Haiti to help restore existing water wells.  In addition to that connection our friends at HELP will be going within the next 30-60 days to help with relief work.  Contact Chris Marlow directly.

Go & Give Locally: Participate in the Hope for Haiti benefit concert that our friends at Music for the City are hosting on Monday night (1/18) at 7pm at The Parish in downtown Austin.  100% of proceeds will be used to support Real Hope for Haiti.  $10 at the door.  Go to Music for the City and click on Hope for Haiti for more info.

Pray for Haiti's Future: I am deeply grieved that the body of Christ has not had more of a long term impact in Haiti.  I am deeply grieved that a 7.0 earthquake in San Francisco in 1989 killed around 60 people while a 7.0 in Haiti kills tens of thousands.  The abject poverty in Haiti, corruption and poor living conditions are unacceptable and contributed to such a high toll of death and devastation.  I am convinced that the Body of Christ in the United States has the resources to solve much of the world's physical problems.  If only we would have the courage and obedience to do it.  Please join me in prayer for what Soma Austin's long term relationship with Haiti could look like.

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