Jezi, ou se fondasyon mwen...

"For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken."

(Psalm 62:1-2)

I woke abruptly to a sound like nothing that had reached my ears before. My bed shook beneath me. Half asleep, I saw children jumping down from bunks. Running. Screaming. Fear and terror like I had never seen before covered their faces.

It was only an aftershock. Not even worthy to be compared with the earth-shattering-quake that had changed their lives forever. This memory forever lodged in their brain, of world crashing all around them, devastation far greater than their years. Would they ever not be afraid that everything would fall apart all over again?

Moments later, huddled outside, singing praises to remember the One they trust. Their voices lifted to the heavens, "Jezi, Ou se fondasyon mwen..." The words in English mean, "Jesus, you're my firm foundation." The song continues to say, "I know I can stand secure". As children, and some mothers sang out their hope, I couldn't help but let the tears fall from my eyes.

Everything they knew, everything they had, everything they trusted in, all of their living literally crumbled before their very eyes. Some had lost family, some had lost an arm or a leg, some had lost a home. And still they trusted. Still they stood secure. They were not greatly shaken, and their faith resounded steadfastly.

Do we understand this type of faith? Do we know what it's like to confess trust in our God when the foundation beneath us is faltering? When buildings crash around us, and everything we hope in fails us, do we believe that God is still good and faithful? Does our faith remain steadfast when it is tested?

This memory will never leave me. And these children, who hoped in Jesus when everything was shaken... their faith has changed me. They have shown me what it means to believe when I cannot see. And they have taught me of the steadfast faithfulness of a God who never fails.

"Truly, I say to you,

Unless you turn and become like children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven"

(Matthew 18:3)

*NOTE: This blog post is written based off an experience that I had in Haiti with children and orphans who were displaced after the earthquake that took place on January 12th, 2010.