A Message From Haiti

Pastor Carlos Más is the lead Pastor of Refuge Orphanage and ACB (Children of Bethlehem Association) in Sorocaba, Brazil. Due to his renowned experience in the medical mission and social causes arena, he was invite to visit and serve in Haiti this week. These are his thoughts and reflections after the trip, with some of the pictures he took. Continue praying and donating:

I returned to Brazil today. It was a time of a lot of work in Haiti; the country is destroyed, there is hunger and thirst!


I worked with a team of Brazilian Doctors of AME in cooperation with “Ação Global”, in a camping area set up in a Evangelical Church and also in the Hospital Gerla in Port-au-Prince, where 20,000 people affected by the earthquake are being treated in Hospital Tents of several countries. It is very sad what we saw there. I do not know how the country can he reconstructed, but I know that it is a great opportunity to rebuild in the right way. I do not know how to describe the human and spiritual misery of these people used to voodoo practices.

I know that God did not only bring me there to see these days and serve for a bit.

I want to start a project to help in the reconstruction of Haiti; I specially want ACB to get involved with the AIDS work. Thousands of children died and thousands are orphans. They are in the streets, with friends, or simply in the camps. We need to do something for them and for this generation that is now marked. Before my trip to Haiti, I started some contacts cooperation with the Mission Viva in Costa Rica.

God help us to join hands together for Haiti. Please thank all who were praying.

God Bless You

carlos más

Picture Haiti

Haiti's devastating earthquake on January 12th has quite simply, turned the nation upside down. And as images and videos of the nation are sent throughout the world, relief and donations have come pouring into America's poorest nation. Below is a few of the image galleries that have captured both the most heartbreaking and most beautiful moments of the tragedy:

The Boston Globe:

more pics from The Boston Globe

Samaritan's Purse:

more pics from Samaritan's Purse

Time Magazine:

more pics from Time Magazine

BBC:

more pics from BBC

Red Cross:

more pics from Red Cross

Here's a small list of the many organizations assisting in the Haiti relief efforts:

• American Red Cross - donate
  
• Compassion International - donate
  
• Samaritan's Purse - donate
  
• Vision For Israel - donate
  
• World Vision - donate
  

Rusty Treasures

Just ran into this great series of photography collection by Troy Paiva called Lost America (via BOOOOOOOM).

And like any good art is purposed to do, it got me thinking... Everything we own, no matter how expensive or long-lasting it is, will at some point become junk. You car, your home, your clothes, your furniture, your parent's furniture you've been borrowing for 3 years, your starbucks, your money, your snuggies, your favorite side of the bed, your basketball, your remote... all junk.

The truth hit me even harder when I saw two cars drive by: One was a big black new luxury SUV. The driver was wearing a button up shirt, talking on his bluetooth and looking confident. The second was an older car, with a faded paint job. The drive looked tired and was wearing simple clothes. Our society will quickly rank Mr SUV on a higher level than Mr Blue Collar, but honestly, what has one achieved more than the other? Fifty years from now, the reality is that most likely, both of those cars will be in a junkyard somewhere. Maybe even on top of each other. Hmm.

We live our entire lives chasing material things. But in the end, those very material things can do nothing to prolong our lives, make us happier or secure an eternity with God. Yeah, we talked about all this during the VANITY Series, but it's probably one of the most important truths we can ever remember. That's why Jesus emphasized so well...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-20

So, next time you think of your material possessions, thank God for them, but never let them rule your heart. Instead, seek God above all things and do ALL things to glorify Him. Life doesn't end here...let's live for a never-fading eternity, and not just for a rusting tomorrow.

Inner City Jesus

Here's another interesting photography story, via NPR. Photo-documentarist veteran Camilo Jose Vergara has been known for capturing America's inner cities. It's been clear to him that religion is a huge part of the inner city culture. In this collection he shows the different artistic depictions of Jesus all over the nation. Here are some of the more interesting ones. The first one reminds me of John 10:9:

See the entire collection, and hear an interview with Vargas here.

By the way, what do you think of trying to portray Christ through art? Is it ok to do?

Picturing the Word

Just encountered some great work from William Haun, a photographer from Georgia. He's posting faith based pictures from his portfolio on a blog for Relevant Magazine and linking it to a specific verse in the bible. Guess what the first verse he picked was?

James 4:14 - whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Here are a some of the best shots from the collection. Follow the full blog here.

John 11:4


Psalm 9:18


Psalm 146:5-10


Leviticus 20:24