lament for haiti

The earthquake in Haiti last week is a catastrophe of epic proportion. The more I read and see, the more my heart feels the loss and sorrow of the people. As I write, two friends, a doctor and a leader in a Haitian mission, have gone to help. They say it is desperate. I feel deep grief: for mothers, grandmothers, orphans, cousins, survivors in Haiti and Haitian Canadian friends who have lost loved ones and the meagre existence they had.

In the past few days, I have received 2 laments for Haiti. A lament is an audible expression of grief and mourning and can be sung. In lament, the hard questions may be posed: like "how long God?" "remember us God" or "where are you Lord?". It may also express the need for healing or mercy, like "In Your mercy, hear our prayer." Laments have been used for centuries as part of mourning rituals and are found in spirituals, tragic opera, gospel songs, blues, ballads, hymns, folk, cinematic music.

The first lament I received is a setting of a Kyrie set to a traditional Haitian tune, arranged and adapted by Andy Donaldson. You can get it at seraph@pathcom.com. The other is a text set to a hymn tune written by a Swiss woman, Kristine Greenaway.

In Haiti there is anguish that seems too much to bear;
A land so used to sorrow now knows even more despair.
From city streets, the cries of grief rise up to hills above;
In all the sorrow, pain and death, where are you, God of love?

A woman sifts through rubble, a man has lost his home,
A hungry, orphaned toddler sobs, for she is now alone.
Where are you, Lord, when thousands die—the rich, the poorest poor?
Were you the very first to cry for all that is no more?

O God, you love your children; you hear each lifted prayer!
May all who suffer in that land know you are present there.
In moments of compassion shown, in simple acts of grace,
May those in pain find healing balm, and know your love’s embrace.

Where are you in the anguish? Lord, may we hear anew
That anywhere your world cries out, you’re there-- and suffering, too.
And may we see, in others’ pain, the cross we’re called to bear;
Send out your church in Jesus’ name to pray, to serve, to share.

The collective traumatic grief may be so paralyzing in Haiti that I wonder if our brothers and sisters are able to sing? So we will sing lamentations joining Haitian brothers and sisters in their suffering, knowing that in some profound way, music has the power to act cathartically, and hoping that one day this nation will rise again to find its voice and sing its song.

Copyright 2010, Bev Foster