January 14, 2010: Timeout and a quick case in point

I am going to postpone the GA PJC workthrough with the proposed new Form of Government (nFoG) until tomorrow to reflect for a moment on Haiti.

It is a terrible disaster; the earthquake and the toll it has taken on the Haitian people. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who are struggling to survive. Words do not fully express the scope and extent of loss experienced. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 seems to be the most comparable kind of event we have seen in this country; the tsunami in 2004 may be the most recent global event of this scale.

It is a mark of the changing world that less than 24 hours after the quake hit -- unanticipated and unforeseen --the church community (including Presbyterians) have begun to respond with relief efforts. Two generations ago, the news might just be getting out; today, CNN (and all the networks) have cameras on site with live pictures. The Layman is reporting that at least two Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations had mission teams in Haiti at the time of the quake. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has already committed an initial response of $100,000 for aid and is up, running, and prepared to channel additional resources and supplies to those who have been devastated. Looking at Facebook, the message has gotten out to Presbyterians all around the country. It is remarkable the way our ability to respond has been transformed by the instant access to information and communication.

Further, if our history after Hurricane Katrina is representative of how Presbyterians understand their call to minister to others in need, it shows a willingness to engage in long-term relief and recovery projects. It is important to recognize that the Haitian people will not be recovered and restored for years to come. Prayers, support, and mission outreach will be needed for an extended period of time.

The case-in-point part of this? I hesitate to mention it for fear of seeming crass. I have gone back and forth, and slept on it. It is not an "AHA!" kind of thing, it is just a "yes, that's right" kind of thing.

Because I have had my nose buried in it, it occurred to me that the response to the Haiti earthquake is an object lesson of the issues discussed in yesterday's post: a Form of Government (current or nFoG) neither leads Presbyterians to engage in outreach ministries and respond compassionately in times of crisis; nor does a Form of Government cripple us from doing so. They will know us by our love, not our polity.

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