Remembering not to Forget

As the images from Haiti
Fill our television screens,
Compassion, generosity and
Action are the order of the day.

Prayers prayed.
Speeches made.
Sermons preached.
Money given.
Supplies collected and shipped.
Relief lurches forward.
Thankfully, the rest of the world rushes to help.

But the day will come,
Not too many days from now, when...
The reporters will pack it in,
The media flood will slow to a trickle;
Moving on
To the next tragedy;
The next "newsworthy" event.

Our task then will be to remember;
To not forget...
As we have forgotten so many times before.
God help us to remember.
Because Haiti has been forgotten too many times;
And because we have really short memories --
And even shorter attention spans.

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorry into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected, BCP, page 826)