In prior online journals (01/13 and 01/17), we began to pray and respond to the Haiti Earthquake. I continue to affirm that we are called in these days to boldly "Live as Disciples."

Disciples Pray in crisis.
Disciples Give offerings.
Disciples Send mercy workers.
Disciples Remember long after the media has disappeared.

I believe this is the same formula Jesus uses in this week’s Gospel lesson to set up a distribution system ready for a miracle. The enormity of the Haitian tragedy humbles us. We don’t have a fraction of the resources needed to save and heal; but Jesus simply asks us to fill, draw out and take “our water” to the needy situation. He will make the wine. St. John’s is filled with resourceful and influential people who literally can change the world. We are called to this hour. I’m convinced God is calling us to Live as Disciples in response to this crisis. Just as we affirmed Sunday, “Jesus is here, I will not fear,” the people of Haiti need that message in the physical and spiritual care they receive in the days, months and years ahead.

Our First Response
Our first response will be three-fold: Pray, Give and Send!

Disciples Pray

We call upon one another to lift up prayers on behalf the Haitian people. Haiti is one of the poorest places on the earth—in economics, in justice and in spirit. It is also a place that thankfully the Lutheran community has been particularly engaged in, especially in recent years. For weeks to come, Haiti will be everywhere on our TVs, computers, billboards and newspapers. Let all that attention be a call to us to fill this situation “to the brim” with prayer.

Disciples Give

We call upon one another to give a special offering for Haiti. Though each of us has been challenged financially, we’re called to “draw out” a portion of what we do have and be disciples who give. There are many charities available to us and our response is likely to be multi-faceted. It is also a godly and Biblical practice for churches to give as a collective effort. That is why St. John’s is gathering an offering that will support our Lutheran agencies providing care and relief in the region. (Lutheran Church Charities, Lutheran World Relief and LCMS Human Care/World Relief are all working as partners in this effort.) On January 15, Thrivent Financial challenged Lutherans to raise 2 million dollars and pledged to match that offering with an additional million dollar grant. We will participate in that matching program. Simply designate your gift on your check or envelop with the word, “Haiti.” You can also donate right here online.

Disciples Send

Besides cash gifts, Lutheran Church Charities has put together a needs list for us to send through Orphan Grain Train and two of our Lutheran congregations in Florida. St. John’s has been designated a collection place for the gathering of these supplies. A list of items needed will be constantly updated on our web site. Everything is very fluid right now, so keep following our web site for information. We will need volunteers to help us store and prepare these supplies for shipment. While we may not all be physically going to Haiti, we’re working to send others with the supplies they need. Through them we “take our water” to the needy.

Though it seems like there is so little we can do, Jesus says, “bear fruit!” This is the simple “foolishness” of the Gospel and paradoxically the wisdom of Living as Disciples. Though we don’t know “how” or “why,” we carry our limited resources and our faith boldly into the hurts of this world, “foolishly” believing that he will make the wine. Last Sunday, we all said together repetitively in worship, “Jesus is here; We will not fear!” I think we had no idea how important that would be to carry with us and for others. So keep saying it. As I said in a previous article, "bring your water and God will make the wine!"