“When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him…
When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him...Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.” Job 2:11-13
For the last several nights, I have woken up multiple times to pray. Each night there has been a specific member of our community for whom the Holy Spirit was leading me to intercede. And last night when I woke up, I was not only led to pray for one specific family, but this verse from Job came to my mind, as well - “No one said a word to Job . . . his suffering was too great for words.”
And that’s where we find ourselves today. There are no words.
It all happened so quickly.
Last Thursday, we had an amazing Google Meet call with so many of you. All those on the Haiti Awake team were encouraged and refreshed. Friday we ran programs with a new plan, and it was incredible. We were all hopeful as we looked to the future. Saturday there was a phone call with a sponsor. Once again, it was a sweet time that filled everyone with joy.
And then the afternoon came.
The events that have transpired since Saturday at noon defy any explanation. Members of our staff and community have suffered staggering losses and disappointment, but we will not comment on those matters publicly. In an effort to preserve people's privacy and help them hold their dignity, we have decided not to share stories we do not believe are ours to tell.
In full transparency, however, our suffering is great. Our sorrow is real. We are in a time of lament.
But due to the current circumstances, we can not all sit on the ground together. We can not gather around the one family whom we all wish to hold close at the moment.
We can, however, stand together in solidarity and silence by going dark for the next seven days.
The groanings have been too deep for words many times over the last six years, but this week we have reached a level of sorrow even we can not articulate. We find ourselves in the depths of affliction.
Nevertheless, we do not want you to mistake our silence for capitulation, despair, or defeat. No. Senior leadership has consulted together and reached the decision that in order to heal, in order to process recent events, in order to find the path forward, as an organization we need to rest, breathe, and, in the absence of words from others, hear the voice of God. We are doing this with the support of the Board of Directors of Haiti Awake.
Please pray with us as we discern what God has for us in the days ahead.
“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. ”
If you have a need that requires immediate attention, please contact Kaitlyn Stephens at 910-599-1753 or kaitlynmariestephens@gmail.com.
