I've been keeping half an eye on the situation of the American, would-be orphanage founders in Haiti. As more information comes out, I see more and more to question in their behavior. And that's being objective, frankly.
Have you been watching this on the news at all? Story is Laura Silsby, whose dot-com failed, had begun planning the construction of an orphanage in either Haiti or the Dominican Republic. Then the earthquake. So she quickly assembles an innocent or not-so innocent team of church members, finds a hotel in the Dominican to convert into an orphanage, then begins scouting out "orphans" in devastated Haiti.
Sounds laudable, right? Christian even? But as more info comes to the surface, we're finding out not all the kids are really orphans. That team members were going door-to-door asking parents if they would like to give their children "opportunities" and "a better life". That the team was only accepting children ten years-old and under. That they apparently knew they didn't have proper documentation from Haiti's government yet still tried to get children across the border. And the group's translators are saying the members knew all this.
Huh... Sounds a bit fishy.
Perhaps God did tell Silsby to start an orphanage. And perhaps God's timing on his directive was intended to help quake-victims. But just because God said (if that's the case here) to do something specific doesn't negate what he said in his Word. Yes, we're to take care of women and orphans, and perhaps Silsby did have a specific command to found an orphanage in Haiti. But do either of those supersede God's commands to obey earthly governments? To not do anything deceptively? To not give the world a reason to find fault with us?
Like the example God gave me studying Jacob. God saying one thing doesn't mean we can forget or ignore other laws, either cultural or governmental. Which is why we need to know our Bible. Why we need to have proper reverent fear of both God and those governments God put in place. And I'm sorry...but a Christian church group should have known better than to behave in this way...if reports are correct, of course. There's my disclaimer.
Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.
For the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. ... So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. Romans 13:1-3, 5, NLT
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