I'm again blown away by the witness of the families of the hostages in Haiti-I have a few excerpts from the most recent post that I'll be sharing in our worship on Sunday below. I hope they inspire you to pray and also be thankful in hard times like these dear people are... -tm
Update on Haiti kidnapping from Christian Aid Ministries, November
24, 2021 11:45 a.m.
Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow, November 25. Families get
together on this special day to thank God for His blessings during the past
year and enjoy good food and fellowship. Overshadowing all of this is the fact
that fifteen of our loved ones are still held hostage in Haiti. 1 Thessalonians
5:16-18 says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” By God’s
grace, we choose to be thankful, even during difficult times.
The families of the hostages express numerous things for
which they are thankful, in spite of being keenly aware that there will be
empty places around their tables this Thanksgiving Day. We hope the following
messages from these families will be an encouragement to you.
I am thankful for my [family members who are being held
hostage]. Your love and faithfulness bless me. Press on dear ones, walk in
truth. I love you.
We long to be with our child but we thank and praise you,
Lord, for Your promise that You will never leave him or forsake him!
Besides the support of caring Christians around the
world, there is another support group in the wings, inspiring by example—men
and women who have endured hardship to follow Christ and have done it with
courage and even joy. I’m thankful for these stories, these examples.
I’m thankful for all the people who took time out of
their busy schedules to write notes of encouragement the past weeks. I usually
get my tear ducts cleaned out when I read them! It means more than I can ever
say to have that kind of support. I would like those who sent encouragement to
know that we greatly appreciate their care and support since we can’t thank the
majority of them personally.
I am thankful for our government’s efforts to free the
hostages…We have found [the government agents] to be extremely kind, caring,
and respectful… I am also thankful for God’s protection for the hostages. Many
times I have asked God to put a hedge of protection around them, and I am only
one of hundreds or thousands or millions praying for their protection. I am
thankful for multitudes that are holding us up in prayer. There are times when
tears come instead of prayers, and I am thankful for the body of Christ, who
can formulate coherent prayers when words fail us. Most of all, I am thankful
for God’s amazing grace that has carried us in this situation, and that we can
be at peace even when we don’t know the outcome. Only a true and living God,
only our Creator and the controller of the universe, can give us this kind of
peace and calm in the middle of a storm. PRAISE HIS NAME!
I’m thankful for the good news [of the two hostages that
were released over the weekend] and want to encourage continued prayers…God
keeps His promises!
I’m thankful that although I really can’t do anything
from here, for our loved ones; I can pray, and God can take my petition, and
thousands more like mine and do BIG things…Hallelujah!
As you celebrate Thanksgiving Day, would you like to
encourage the family members of those being held hostage? You may send your
messages to prayers@christianaidministries.org. Encouraging words, inspiring
personal stories, and uplifting prayers will be forwarded to the families. It
would be of interest to the families to know the state or country of the person
writing.
Read the full article here:
https://christianaidministries.org/updates/haiti-staff-abduction/
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