Haiti...and that Rascally Pat Robertson.

Haiti is going to need our support and prayers for a long time. Haiti doesn't have the structure and infrastructure that you and I are accustomed to - it does not operate the same way. The world will have expectations about how quickly and thoroughly it should recover, but it's not going to meet them. Everyone needs to be prepared for that.

In the middle of all of this, Pat Robertson made a statement that helps nothing and nobody. I think it was out of line, and not consistent with the beliefs of the majority of Christians. In the midst of catastrophe, you help. The Christian example is compassion: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked. When I hear things like this, my first thought is to say "but this is NOT the way most Christians think". That's not us. Which can be interpreted as throwing him under the bus. It's rebuke, which is very different.

God knows exactly how to challenge us so that we develop as people and in our faith. We get comfortable, complacent, and we forget the basics very quickly. And plenty of garbage and other obstacles get thrown in our path for us to climb over. We have to ask ourselves in this and all challenging situations ...how bad do we want it? We're willing to jump hurdles and pave ways when we are going to get a promotion, a raise, a contract.... but how hard will we try, and how far will we go when we will receive nothing in return?

I admit that I struggle with it. Which isn't helped by being so far away, and having very little to send there.