Micah 4:1-5 (New Revised Standard Version)
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1. In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it,
2. and many nations shall come and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
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they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;
4. but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.;
5. For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.
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Three over-riding principles guide MCC’s work in Haiti:
- MCC’s commitment to working toward the holistic and integrated well-being of communities and churches around the world stems from a dedication to God’s vision of peace and dignity for humanity. This vision, from Micah 4:1-5, holds central the immediate needs of basic human rights, such as access to food, health care, meaningful employment, security and education. It also presents us with the necessity of justice for the vision to be fulfilled and the importance of human empowerment for the assurance of meaningful processes of development and healing.
- Haitians, like people everywhere, are children of God and should be approached with dignity and respect. The Haitian people are the keepers of a vibrant, resilient culture that has endured many hardships and has much to offer the rest of the world.
- All disaster response efforts, at both local and national levels, must be guided by Haitians themselves. Millions of dollars and thousands of volunteers are arriving in Haiti to help the country. Plans are being drawn up by many well-meaning people. But if Haitians do not have a hand in formulating the plans and do not own the construction efforts, they will ultimately be unsuccessful in their attempts to build up the country.
MCC is committed to approaching Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake in a way that, above all, holds the dignity of the Haitian people, and is just and sustainable, addressing immediate needs and creating an environment for positive, long-term development.
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