I’ve been following the news this week as Matthew, a Category 4 hurricane, has taken aim at Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas in the Caribbean and now threatens to barrel toward the coast of Florida and the entire eastern seaboard. I have watched and prayed with particular interest as it targeted Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Amy and I have been in Haiti on the southern half of the island where Matthew, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in years, hit first.  As I see pictures of the damage left behind – the flooded landscape, the obliteration of the shacks that most people live in, and other buildings with rooftops that have been swept away – I have some sense of the devastation because of my time spent there.

I have been tuned into first hand updates courtesy of New Missions (www.newmissions.org) stationed in Haiti. Reports from New Missions indicated that some Haitians did not even know the storm was coming or how powerful the storm would be. It’s not like the United States where warnings give us ample time to batten down the hatches, stock up on supplies, or just get out of town. Those that did have warning, such as the ones New Missions works with, sought out safer ground and better shelter but are still left reeling with flooded rivers, wiped out roads, and devastated farmlands.  But others had nowhere to go.  They literally had to watch their shacks blow apart, gather up their kids in their arms and sit there fully exposed while the wind and rain pelted down on them and flood waters began to rise all around them.  Mercy.

New Missions has had a presence in Haiti for over 30 years under the banner “Hope in God.” They have built churches, schools and medical clinics providing children and their families with education, food and medical care so that they can grow strong and make an impact in a hopeless place. New Missions was there during the earthquake of 2010 – one of the worst humanitarian crisis in recent history – bringing hope in God. And they are there today after this most recent crisis continuing to bring hope in God.

We all confront storms in life from time to time. Some come without warning while we see others approaching from a mile away. Some are small and last only a little while and others are large and linger like unexpected house guests. Often times we can seek a safe escape but sometimes the only thing we can do is hunker down and ride it out.  But the one thing we can do in any storm is hold on to our hope.

I encourage you to be praying for all those in Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and along the eastern seaboard who are affected by Hurricane Matthew. Be praying that they would discover hope in God. I also encourage you to be praying for any of those around you who are going through a storm right now. Pray that they would find hope in God. And if it is you who is in the middle of the storm – hold on to that hope!

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)