Nikki, Haiti and prayers

I had a great conversation with Nikki tonight. She is so tender hearted and the images coming out of Haiti are so disturbing to her. She has an army friend, a nurse, who is now deployed there and she says it makes her feel "worthless" as she has no medical training and can only provide money to charity.

I reminded Nikki that she can indeed offer more help to Haiti and that it starts with the letter "p."

I told her all the ways that Catholics can pray. I have to admit as the list got longer and longer I was quite in awe of how many different ways we can pray. We can:

- offer up our sufferings, annoyances, work, etc.
- fast
- pray the Divine Mercy chaplet for the sick and the dying
- "put it on the paten" so that Haiti can be transformed with the bread and wine that become Jesus
- offer up our own Holy Communion

I reminded her to count her blessings, that God has put her in a safe place for a reason, and that she is to put her intellect, will and faith to good use serving Him and all people who suffer in whatever way He calls her. That made sense to her. I am still praying she is formally received into the Church but better her conversion be the kind that "sticks" than one based on emotions.

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