With the help of one of my wonderful daughters, I have found some information about the earthquake this morning.

The geographic location of the epicenter of this morning's quake is directly over the geographic location of Petit Goave, the little town that where we have stayed on each trip to Haiti and to which we planned to return in March. The 6.1 quake has done significant damage to the already weakened and damaged buildings in Petit Goave. Carrenage, the little school where we have worked is only a few miles away from Petit Goave. I don't know what this means to Carrenage.

Someone asked me this morning, "Why is your heart so tender toward these people whom you barely know?" I told him that I don't know. When I went to Haiti in 2008 I was unsure why I was there. But when I stepped from the car on the mountain, into the muddy surroundings of the little school of Carrenage, I knew that God had brought me there. I'm still not sure why. Our teams have done things, but in the greater scheme of things, we have done little. However, for some reason God continues to cause me to work there, to want others to know about the tragic plight of these beautiful people who have suffered so quietly for so long, and to try to make a difference! Maybe all I am to do is raise awareness of their need. Maybe all I am to do is to love them. That I can do.

That thought brings me to this one. The title of this blog is "Here I am, Lord." I want to tell you why I chose it. We sing a hymn in our church by that title, and it has touched my life deeply, so deeply that I often wake singing that chorus in my mind. I want to share one verse and the chorus with you:

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry,
All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
CHORUS
Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.