I was able to go to a Haitian church today with some of the missionaries from the Baptist Haiti Mission. It was wonderful to see the church so full and to hear that there were at least 8 new people there who had decided to come in the light of the disaster. I was truly struck by the strength which God has given this congregation to carry on despite loss of family and property. One of the pastors had lost four of his children and another his eldest son, yet they stood up to lead the service and to preach the word of God.

The sermon was on the theme of suffering and how we should respond to it, based on passages from the book of Job. The pastor brought up several interesting points.

* Suffering is part of the Christian life. Those that say Christians don't or shouldn't suffer have a poor theology.

* Don't be accused of being lacking in faith or of having offended God, that this disaster has come upon us.

* God is bigger than us and do not have to ask the questions of why. It is part of his grand plan even if we in our human capacity cannot fathom it.

* God can and is bringing good out of this.

That a pastor can stand up and preach this after losing some of his children is faith put into practice indeed.

Martin Harrison