Much has been said and written since the devastating earthquake that shook the island of Haiti on January 12. The magnitude of destruction wrought on the densely populated capital city and surrounding areas will go down in history as being catastrophic. The rippling affect around the world has been profound as there are Haitian relatives living in far flung areas, many of whom are still waiting to hear if their loved ones survived. Haiti has been a destination for caring churches and organizations around the world who have had long-term aid activities there, some for generations. Aid workers, missionaries, volunteers and their families are counted among the injured, dead and missing. It is difficult to imagine the depths of suffering.

Whenever there is tragedy, there will always be those who curse, lay blame and try to give explanation. Even some who count themselves as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ will often lay the blame on God, claiming was an act of God's wrath as punishment on the people affected.

Such proclamations cause mental, emotional and spiritual anguish as they grapple with the question, "How could a loving God do this?" Realize this - some things just happen and no one, not even God, is to blame!

Pastor Bob McLellan shared in a sermon (see www.ourchurchmedia.com

January 17) that there are over 4,000 earthquakes recorded every year in Canada. There are thousands every year around the world, most of which are never noticed or which do little or no damage. The earth is a ball of shifting molten lava and rock. The law of averages means that sometime, somewhere, someone will be affected by those natural movements of the earth below us and the weather patterns above us.

The just and the unjust fall to illness, disease, the deeds of others, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, often ending in tragedy or death. It is the way it is. Period!

With all that said, I was touched by the words of Rev. Pierre Walliere a minister in the Church of the Nazarene, who survived the January 12 earthquake. His report told of what happened as he was driving along and the buildings came tumbling down around him; of the almost instantaneous devastation; of the screams of the trapped, injured and dying; of the confusion and the panic that followed. He said, "I prayed and the courage came into me, then

understood it was an earthquake.

I was never experiencing such a thing in my life before. I just can say it was a terr ible monster." He also wrote of the first moments follow- ing the quake, as he came to the aid of a mother whose child was dying in her arms. "I washed the face of the child and gave him some (water) to drink and he could breathe a little bit better. In that moment I could not do any better than touching the people and said to them to be courageous because Jesus is there. So, the place where I was, transformed like a big tabernacle (a church) as the people sang, gave praise to the Lord because they surv ived from that terrible monster." In the midst of all that was happening, people were reaching out to God and He was responding to their needs.

Curt Luythe, a Nazarene missionary to Haiti reported that just five days later amid the rubble and afterquakes, on Sunday, January 17 that, "Today there was church, real church. Haitians sang and prayed today. They listened again to words they know by heart and in which they rest through faith. The LORD is Sovereign, and He cares about what happened -- what is happening -- to them."

In face of tragedy, are your words those of curses or praise? It is my prayer today that you will have within you deep faith in the Sovereign Lord, who sees and cares. He is there to carry you through. Be encouraged by the words of a well known quote, "Nothing is going to happen to me that God and I can't handle together."

Maxine McLellan is the pastor's wife and ministerial student at the Grace Church of the Nazarene in Shelburne, ON