Haiti: Microcosm of a Coming Global Catastrophe?

Even now, China's economy is consuming more and more raw materials to sustain its growing industrial base, and is attempting to corner commodity markets by securing deposits of minerals and fuel from nations around the world. Currency wars have already begun, as nations manipulate their exchange rates to achieve favorable positions while international trade dwindles. As we have seen in France and Greece, how long will it be before the smaller, less developed countries find their economies in turmoil, because of debt and rising prices? When will the stronger trading nations resort to force as they struggle to maintain their people's standard of living and sources of supply? The world is on a collision course with an unavoidable catastrophe of literally biblical proportions, yet most in seats of power seem blinded to the approaching disaster!

If anyone cares to look at how an awful catastrophe can come about, all they have to do is look at the disintegrating situation in the nation of Haiti. Already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, January 12, 2010 saw Haiti plunged into even greater poverty and devastation by a massive, killer earthquake that took the lives of more 300,000 people, and injured hundreds of thousands who survived. Even after a huge influx of aid, sent to relieve the beleaguered populace and to rebuild devastated infrastructure, little seems to have been accomplished. Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital and largest city basically remains in ruins ten months after the quake, with approximately a million of its citizens still living in dirty shanty camps. Tens of millions of dollars pledged to help the victims remains unspent, held up in a disorganized tangle of incompetence, corruption, and bureaucratic red tape. Though some foreign relief agencies have done yeoman service to segments of the population, their efforts remain poorly coordinated.

The outbreak of cholera is another disaster endangering the already physically weakened refuge population living in unsanitary conditions. Polluted water, lack of latrines, and over-crowding are a combination that creates ideal conditions for the spread of contagious disease. Hundreds have already died and thousands have been sickened by this latest calamity.

Hurricane Tomas, passing through Haiti in early November, brought conditions that many fear will exacerbate the cholera epidemic, while aggravating already-dangerous living situations for many Haitians. Port-au-Prince was largely spared, but in low-lying areas most affected by the storm, strong winds and rain brought ruin to fragile shelters of cardboard and sheet plastic, shredding tents and make-shift living quarters, soaking occupants' few belongings. What will become of these poor people now? The last ten months has shown that Haiti's government is not equal to the magnitude of the disasters that continue to sweep, over the impoverished country. Yet no other nation would be willing to step in and assume control. Haiti is a "failed state"—tragic in and of itself, but also a sad foreshadowing of what other nations may yet experience.

Your Bible foretells that, because of human beings' stubborn rebellion against the one true God, more disasters of growing severity will come about—simply because we have refused to do what God said. "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you" (Deuteronomy 28:15).

Ultimately, only Christ's return will save humanity from utter destruction (Matt 24:22). But even while we watch our interdependent world's ecology, economy, and political systems fall apart before our eyes, we can take action individually to reap God's blessings and be spared from the worst that is yet to come. To learn more, read our booklet, Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ's Return, and watch our Tomorrow's World telecast, "You Can Survive Armageddon."