You Can Do Something
In mid-January of 2010, Jean Claude was working in his homeland of Haiti as an interpreter for an American missionary surgical team that was working in Port-au-Prince performing eye surgeries on Haitian patients who would never be able to receive treatment otherwise. It had been a long day as many eye surgeries were performed by the medical team. One of the surgeons said to Jean Claude, "I'm tired. Let's take a break and walk outside."
Several other Haitian interpreters had already gathered outside as the doctor and Jean Claude made their way through the door into the late afternoon sunlight. A nurse stuck her head out the door and called Jean Claude to return to help her to communicate to a Haitian patient who spoke only French Creole, the language of Haiti.
Jean Claude made his way back inside and began to interpret the message for the nurse. Suddenly the floor began to shake violently. Jean Claude heard a deafening roar as the cement ceiling gave way and caved in on top of them.
Moments later, he regained consciousness to find himself pinned underneath the crushing weight of cement and rebar which had once been the roof for the building. He tried to move his arms, his legs and his head, but he was unable to budge them at all. He prayed to God, "God, help me! I'm trapped!"
Through the panic and chaos, God spoke to him, saying, "You can do something."
He tried again to move without success. Once again, he prayed, "God, help me!"
Again, he heard a voice speak into the depths of his soul, "You can do something."
He tried to wiggle his arm free and slowly was able to move his arm, reach into his pocket, grab his cellphone and poke his arm up through the rubble, waving his cellphone for anyone who might be looking for survivors. Montas, one of the interpreters, had been combing through the rubble looking for Jean Claude. He saw his hand and cellphone and frantically began to paw at the cement that encased Jean Claude. Others came to help and, after what seemed hours, they were able to dig Jean Claude free from his would-be tomb.
Once free, Jean Claude looked around at the devastation and trauma. He prayed silently again, "Lord, what can we do? There's so much death and destruction? How can we help the American surgical team?" Again, he heard the response, "You can do something."
He took off running down the street, looking for anyone who might help rescue the Americans. He finally ran into a contingent of the UN Peace Keeping Force. Although they spoke a different language, Jean Claude was able to communicate that there were Americans trapped underneath the rubble. The UN soldiers raced to their aid.
Within a few hours and with the assistance of the UN soldiers, they were able to rescue several members of the medical team, although two nurses perished in the quake.
1Peter 4:10 encourage us; "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."
If you have been saved and serve Jesus Christ as Lord, then God has given you gifts and graces for ministering to others. It is His intent that we use those gifts and graces in order to instruct the church, to serve others in love and to reach out to a lost world with the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Just as God said to Jean Claude, "You can do something!" Don't think that you are unable to do anything for God. If a helpless man pinned underneath a crushing weight of cement can do something, surely you and I can, too.
Since the earthquake, Jean Claude has used his interpreting skills to assist church ministries that are working in Haiti to rebuild the churches and Christian schools all over his country. Through the work that is being done in the name of Christ, hope is returning to the nation of Haiti.
May we all be inspired to "do something" for the cause of Christ as He gives us the ability and the leading.
