Cheryll A. Bellamy graduated from Cleveland State John Marshall Law school. She is an attorney, an ordained minister under Christian International, and a former assistant prosecutor. She is also the founder of Hannah's Heart: A Place for Every Women, which is an international healing ministry. She has traveled extensively ministering the Gospel to thirteen nations including Hungary, Italy, Israel, and Africa. She has written several training manuals and is the author of the book, A Home Without a Father, which has been translated into Hungarian and Italian. The Clashing of Swords: Christianity, Race, Politics - A Time of Change and Reawakening to a Greater Cause has been just recently published this year of 2009.
Both Cheryll and husband, Dr. Robert Bellamy, are founders of DeZine for Success, an entrepreneurship program for high school. The Miracles for the People of Haiti
Cheryll A. Bellamy, Attorney and Pastor
Many of us have watched endless media coverage of the Haitian people in the aftermath of the earthquake. Prior to this natural disaster, Haiti has suffered its own humanitarian loss. In the eyes of the entire world, this small nation will be seen as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere for many years to come. However, watching the Haitian people with limbs lost, families searching for their love ones to see if they are alive, children being added to the nation's list of orphans, hunger and homelessness increasing the deficit of poverty, the Haitian people remain strong in their faith. Watching CNN's news account of the Haitian faith, it was reported that hundreds of Haitians went into the streets singing and praising God. One observer had this to say: “People don't blame Jesus for all these things. They believe that Jesus saved them and are thankful for that.” It reminds us all of the miracle of the rainbow appearing in the skies after the earth flood recorded in Genesis. Yes, Haiti, there is a rainbow of hope for you from God. A great revival in the midst of destruction has now taken place. It will leave the religious pundits speechless for many years to come.
The remarks made by Pat Robertson citing the earthquake as a consequence of making a pact with Satan for their freedom from France was not a matter of truth or fallacy but it was inappropriate. For Pat Robertson and many others who have been taught this theology, the following statement as follows should not be surprising: “You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.”
From God's perspective let us try to reason with Him and look through the prism of His Eyes and Heart toward the Haitians. We as Jesus’ followers need to consider this incident carefully. Do we regard Haiti with condemnation rather than with compassion? There appears to be an underlying agreement among some religious leaders that they are exempt from giving monies and valuable resources to Haiti because of a curse.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that what matters is not identifying the need or cause of an earthquake but meeting a humanitarian need. The question is not who is cursed but whether Haiti is our neighbor. The focus has always been on the “historical curse” of Haiti. Conversely, the evils of colonization and the slave trade of millions of Africans by the French were overlooked by many religious historians. Haiti’s liberation and the subsequent France reparation demands ensured Haiti never gained a solid economic footing. Even worse, immediately after the 1804 revolution, the US refused to recognize Haiti because being a country that depended on slave labour it clearly couldn’t acknowledge a country of free slaves; thus Haiti was subjected to a devastating economic embargo by France and the US, sanctions that lasted 60 years and were only ended in 1863. The US occupied and ruled Haiti by force from 1915 to 1934. For 19 years, the US controlled customs in Haiti, collected taxes, and ran many governmental institutions. It is not clear how many billions were bilked from Haiti by the US during this forced occupation.
From 1957 to 1986 Haiti was governed by US backed right wing despots “Papa Doc” and “Baby Doc” Duvalier. Support for these dictators was premised on their supposed “anti-communist” leanings in total disregard to their cruelty and affront on the human rights of Haitians. (robotnewsrecord.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/history-of-haiti-colonization-oppression-and-poverty-usa-and-france-haiti-was-the-first-non-slave-state-of-americas-2/)
But if we just only see that Haiti is cursed in order to reinforce our feelings of ethnic, racial, moral, theological, or spiritual superiority, then we need a rebuke of Jesus' words: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.” (Luke 9:55)
How is it when Bosnia in the 1990's in the nation of Yugoslavia was undergoing its ethnic cleansing there was no conversation of this nation being cursed? Yet millions of American dollars were given without any religious consternation of why we were giving national aide to these victims. Would the answer be because it was a European nation? What explanation can you give the Native Americans whom, over two hundred years, were raped of their land and dignity as human beings by “this Christian nation?” Is the United States government cursed for its enslavement of millions of Africans who were forced out of their nation to serve white America? Even curses have a equal playing field in the eyes of God. Our differences may arise from legitimate concerns. However, a minority of religious leaders are blinded by their presumption of religious and ethnic superiority.
The notion of praying for the Haitian people to remove the curse may on its face appear to be acceptable to God. This type of prayer has to be accompanied by our hands filled with the resources to give to the least of our brethren. It is called sacrificial giving.
Jesus speaking about the parable of the Good Samaritan is one for religious leaders and their institutions to hear for these crucial times in Haiti. If the prayers offered to God come with empty hands, is it fair to say that those same religious people exemplify the priest and Levite? What makes this story so poignant, however, is the contrast between the religious leaders, the priest and Levite, who avoided the half-dead victim, and the Samaritan who showed him compassion. Prejudiced religious people find it almost impossible to think the unbelievers (the Samaritans) or their ethnic enemies might be compassionate human beings.
Here is a thought for those who just want to pray. There is a balancing act we need to express when it comes to Haiti: Prayer and Giving. Giving without prayer legitimizes man's glory. Prayer without giving legitimizes religious self-righteousness. Love through giving and prayer can be that hidden component that breaks the back of any curse. The translated result becomes the declaration of God's prosperity.
Those who want to continue to give to Haiti, please give to the following sites: Med Wish International is a non-profit organization in Cleveland, Ohio that recovers and recycles usable medical supplies that can no longer be used by hospitals and other health care facilities. They collect these products and then distribute them to developing countries all over the world. www.medwishinternational.com
Samaritan's Purse International Relief Organization, www.samaritan.org