In the midst of despair people around the world have been touched by the faith and resilience of the Haitian people in the months following the devastating earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, killing thousands and leaving more than 1 million people homeless.

Cross Catholic staff members working in the field in the days and months after the earthquake saw this display of faith first hand. Our Haiti projects officer, Mike Henry, described this scene just a week after the earthquake:

“While walking amid the ruins of Port-au-Prince, I came across a spontaneous outdoor gathering of Haitian believers who had just watched their whole world crumble, now joined together in prayer and worship. The earthquake could take their homes and churches, but it could not take their faith! I was amazed by the joy, gratefulness, and prayerful resolve these Haitians were showing in the face of such devastation.”

And this wasn’t an isolated incident. NPR did a piece last week in honor of the six-month anniversary of the earthquake that touched on that very subject. A group of doctors shared an inspiring moment they experienced in the midst of tragedy and pain, at a makeshift tent hospital in Port-au-Prince. This happened to be there very same tent hospital that Cross Catholic supported with tents, medicines, and other aid after the quake.

In the piece, the doctors explain what happened: “…a man begins to play a guitar in the corner of the tent, and patients begin to sing.  Soon every Haitian in the tent is singing or clapping or dancing.  The song: “Jesus, thank you for loving us.” (Click here to listen to the full audio segment.)

These doctors were overwhelmed by the experience. As one put it: “It’s extremely humbling to be around a people that, in the worst time of their life, have it in their hearts to give gratitude for what they have left…”

This is reminiscent of the story of Paul and Silas praising and singing hymns to God despite being chained and in prison (Acts 16:25-31). And if you recall, through their worship the jailer came to Christ. Like this story, the Haitian people’s hopeful attitude despite the devastation caused by the quake is an amazing testament to the awesome power of God to overcome any circumstance.

Click here to learn more about what Cross Catholic has been doing in the last six months to help earthquake victims in Haiti.

On Thursday, many Christians spent some extra time talking to God while our country observed the National Day of Prayer. The tradition was formally established by Congress in 1952 but has precedents going all the way back to 1775, when the Continental Congress declared “a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer.”

Today, many Catholics will spend some extra time talking to God while our country observes the National Day of Prayer.

Of course, we can have a conversation with God on any day of the year. Prayer has always played a central role in the life and faith of Catholics. Jesus himself prayed to the Father on a regular basis and taught his disciples to do the same, and you could fill a library with the books that have been written during just the last few decades on how to pray, what to pray, where to pray it and why.

Here at Cross International Catholic Outreach, we begin each workday with a time of prayer and devotions. From a worldly perspective, this might seem like a colossal waste of time and a loss of productivity. But from a heavenly perspective, a conversation with God is the most important “business meeting” we can have. It keeps us focused on the right priorities, reminds us of our dependence on God’s goodness, and opens doors to blessings. We pray for our ministry partners, our friends, relatives, the poor, and prayer requests from donors.

Prayer is also a big part of the ministries we support. Any secular charity can give food to the hungry or medicine to the sick; but our partners do their work in a context of Christian fellowship and heartfelt prayer that imparts real, lasting hope to the poor and suffering

Check out our “God is at the Office” statement to learn more about Cross Catholic’s spiritual focus.

There’s a unique difference between the prayers and goals of people in developed nations and those born into abject poverty:

Sign posted on the wall of an orphanage in Haiti, where children are rescued from the ravages of poverty and raised to know God’s love through Christ Jesus.

“I resolve to lose weight” vs. “I am going to trust God for a meal today.”

“I resolve to live a healthier lifestyle” vs. “I pray that I might live long enough to raise my children.”

“I resolve to better handle my finances” vs. “I pray God will bless those with money so they can continue to help others.”

As you contemplate your physical, spiritual, and financial goals for 2010, won’t you resolve to join us in being instruments of God’s love for the poor?

During a recent staff gathering, Jim Cavnar, president of Cross International Catholic Outreach, gave a retrospective of 2009. We marveled at how God blessed our ministry, especially during these tough economic times.

Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5)

To-date, through the support of compassionate American Catholics, Cavnar announced we had shipped $150 million worth of much-needed goods, including food, medicines, and medical supplies, to the poor in developing countries; and we had granted $3.8 million in financial aid to Catholic ministries overseas serving the poor through projects such as feeding, housing, schooling, and disaster relief.

Citing scripture from James 2 and Matthew 25, Cavnar’s take on why we’ve experienced such success was profound: God loves the poor. He moves hearts and wallets and people and circumstances to see that the prayers of the poor get answered. Through the ministry of Cross Catholic, God has been answering their prayers, because he loves the poor so very, very much. We have been blessed to be an instrument of His love for them.

God bless you for your prayers and gifts to the poor in 2009.

Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the best reminders we have to sit back and take stock of all we have to be thankful for. And we at Cross Catholic have found so much to thank God for this year!

In the spirit of Psalm 9:1 — “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds” — we’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the things we are thankful for:

The missionaries we support in the field. Again and again we are amazed by the selfless work of the dedicated priests, nuts, and Catholic laypeople who run the programs we support to help the poor overseas. Many have given up comfortable lives to come alongside the poor and share Christ’s love with them through their work. (Read some of their stories here.)

The impact we’ve seen in the lives of the poor. Every story about a child whose been fed, family whose received a house, AIDS orphan whose gone to school, and sick person whose recovered though the work of Cross Catholic and our benefactors brings joy to our hearts. (Click here to read some success stories.)

God’s direction in our ministry. With God’s help, all things are possible. And this year we have really seen his hand guiding us as we strive to serve the poor in his name. We are thankful that we are able to take time as a staff at the beginning of each day to submit our work to God. (Read more here about our staff devotional time.)

Our dedicated supporters. Without the support of our many benefactors, none of our work to serve the poor would be possible. We are humbled by their generosity and inspired by their faith. Even in these difficult economic times, compassionate Catholic have continued to provide so that we can help the poorest of the poor.

On behalf of everyone at Cross International Catholic Outreach and the poor we serve, we wish all of you a very blessed Thanksgiving!

As you spend time with family and friends this weekend, take a moment to thank God for everything he has given you:

Give us this day our daily bread, O Father in heaven, and grant that we who are filled with good things from Your open hand, may never close our hearts to the hungry, the homeless, and the poor; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

- From the abbey of New Clairvaux, Viña, California