Haiti, & Us:

One of the reasons that the tragedy in Haiti has been so utterly tragic is because the island nation was already in such poor shape before the earthquake. Institutions and services that we take for granted, which bring security, and improve our lives immensely were, and are, totally lacking in the Island nation.
I certainly know that I'm not wise enough to make pronouncements as to why God has allowed such a cataclysm to ravage this nation, but we all ought to be smart enough to learn some lessons from what is going on there.

There are many Haitians who are loving, kind, God-fearing people. A gentleman I know grew up in Haiti and reaches out to his countrymen, both in Haiti and here in the US, with the Word of God. I know my friend is not alone. Yet, after decades of corrupt leaders like Papa Doc, and Baby Doc Duvalier, with a corresponding breakdown in many social structures, Haiti became a land with no effective control. People were left to fend for themselves. I can remember back in grade and high school, how good "just doing what I want," looked. Even now, I am an advocate of government allowing citizens to maintain as much freedom as possible. Haiti reminds me, however, that absolute freedom mixed with unchecked depravity--and depravity extends to all of us who claim Adam as an ancestor--equals the Book of Judges, "There was no king in the land. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Haiti has been abused by depraved leaders. More recently it has suffered at the hands of depraved citizens with no leadership to restrain them.
Lord, I pray for the people of Haiti, and I pray for those who are there to help right now. I especially pray for Christians in Haiti, that they will be able to spread the light and hope of the Gospel.
I ask for my own nation, that the depravity that exists in all men's hearts will be restrained by a government that honors principles of doing what is right. AMEN.