Sola Dei Gloria!

Now I am confused. In all the many emails I am receiving from synod, I am not seeing any mention of Rev. Harrison being in Haiti. I haven’t saved the emails, but I don’t recall his name being mentioned, with the exception of the appeal letter signed by President Kieschnick, Rev. Harrison, and somebody else.

In the headline article on the LCMS web-site titled

“In midst of suffering, God ‘is still with Haiti’”
By Paula Schlueter Ross

Rev. Harrison is mentioned in the article, “An LCMS pastoral care team, led by LCMS WR-HC Executive Director Rev. Matthew Harrison, presented on Jan. 22 a $30,000 emergency grant to Kessa. The funds are being used by the ELCH to provide food, water, and shelter for thousands of Haitians left homeless by the earthquakethere”, there is a picture of Rev. Harrison in Haiti, and text about the picture naming him and some of the work he is doing.

It appears that the biggest and first section of the article seems to be focused on the missionaries there who are doing pastoral care, and I thinkn that is appropriate. Whether Rev. Harrison is mentioned in an e-mail I do not know.

It’s appropriate for the missionaries to be mentioned, but it’s also politically shrewd for Pres. Kieschnick to minimize mentions of his probable opponent in the next election.

Simple, really.

After watching the PBS video link, to be truthful, Rev. Merritt, “featured” rather more than Pastor Harrison did. Now, for my part, I have no clue who or what Rev. Merritt has done. I have no way of knowing his input into the current situation in LCMS.
But, there are a few things I do know. We know quite a few “first responders”. In the police force, fire departments, & rescue dive teams. Now, if what Merritt said was accurate, then, he “knows” how horrid that situation is, and will be for a long time to come. And most likely, what will be brought on it’s heels. Anyone who works w/a K-9 first response unit, understands it is usually recovery vs. rescue. Kudos to Rev. Merritt, no matter what he has done in the body politic LCMS.

Now, I have read quite a few posts as of late, crying “dirty pool” about not mentioning Rev. Harrison, let’s just make sure we here at BJS, give due, all of it, to those who have earned it. Not just to those we prefer, but all, BECAUSE those elsewhere do not! If ya know anything about what Merritt spoke of, he at the very least deserve a nod here.
Rev. Harrison, doesn’t have an “S” on his chest, and he didn’t go down there alone. Mention all those, in the med/tech areas, respondant units, & ministering areas.

After what they saw down there, it is most deserving, no matter who they are or what they have done. They went, most of us here didn’t and most likely, wouldn’t.

Most of us here wouldn’t be a nickel’s worth of value in the Haitian situation.
[Unless you are, don't go, send money for the medical teams and supplies, for food and water.]

When you realize that a dozen countries have sent aid to Haiti and all of them have undoubtedly also sent reporters and politicians, we should probably give GK a vote of thanks for having the sense to stay home! Every useless body (with an entourage) takes needed security, vehicles and scarce fuel away from those who need to transport food and medicine.
And maybe we should not fuss about how many times Harrison’s name is mentioned, unless you are going to list all the members of all the medical teams, all of whom deserve our thanks for going and our prayers for their safe travel and safe return.
Another team went this weekend and they can’t be the last; there is too much to do.

Someone has described the situation as “New Orleans magnified a thousand times”.
That seems more than likely.

Well said Helen!