After Shock by Kent Annan

8/7/2019 After Shock by Kent Annan

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/after-shock-by-kent-annan 1/17



In the wake of a historic

earthquake in the fragilecountry of Haiti, Kent Annanconsiders suffering--from theepic to the everyday--as aproblem for faith.

Less than two weeks after therelease of Kent's book about his work with Haiti Partners, heheard the news.

Friends trapped under therubble of buildings. Friendssprinting across the city lookingfor family. Churches--includingone Kent often attended--turnedto rubble. Suddenly Kent andhis friends were part of anuncomfortable fellowship:people whose faith is shaken by crisis.

Taking courage from the psalmists of old and the company of hisgrieving neighbors, Kent has found that there is solidarity insuffering. Others have followed life to the edge of meaning and haveheard God even there, calling for honest faith.

Are there questions or realities your faith can't handle?

Kent wrote After Shock to help you find out.

http://www.scribd.com/InterVarsityPress

http://www.amazon.com/After-Shock-Searching-Honest-Shaken/dp/0830836179/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1297439718&sr=8-3

http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3617

http://www.ivpress.com/likewisebooks/

http://www.ivpress.com/



K E n T A n n A n

A F T E R S H O C K

S E A RC H I n G F O R H O n E S T F A I T H

W H E n yO U R WO R L d I S S H A K E n

Copyrighted Material. www.ivpress.com/permissions



Wi gaiu : El, Eva, Ca a Augus amil is, a ma is i Haii. Al l

w lp Mi a Ca amil. T ba, sa a supps Haii Pas. All a

IVasi Pss. dav Zimmma, Ka Hlms, Li sa, Tabia, dug, Aam a Ow,

impvig is b. Sll, m bauiul, pai, isig ul pa i i all. Ou blv

il, Sim a Cma.

InterVarsity Press

P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426

World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com

Email: [email protected]

©2011 by Kent Annan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from

InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement

of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the

United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian

Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF

website at <www.intervarsity.org>.

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the nw Rvis Saa Vsi Bibl,

copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in

the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

While the stories in this book are about real events and people, some names and identifying details have been

altered to protect their privacy.

Permission for previously published material has been requested.

Design: Cindy Kiple

Images: Devastated church, Darbonne, Haiti/David A. Zimmerman

ISBN 978-0-8308-3617-8

Printed in the United States of Ameri ca ∞

InterVarsity Press is committed to protecting the environment and to the responsible use of natural resources. As a member of Green Press Initiative we use recycled paper whenever possible. To learn more about the Green Press Initiative, visit <www.greenpressinitiative.org>.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Annan, Kent, 1973-

After shock: searching for honest faith when your world is shaken /

by Kent Annan.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-8308-3617-8 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Suf fering—Religious aspect s—Chr istianity. 2. Faith. I. Title.

BV4905.3.A55 2011

231’.8—dc22

2010033184

P 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Y 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11




C o n t e n t s

Tectonic Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Life Gets Shaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Part 1: Confronting a Crisis of faith . . . . . . . . 17

1 T Wl Cass All Tim . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2 Spiiual Ass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

3 Ap Uai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4 d’ Tu Awa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

5 Fl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Part 2: searChing for honest faith . . . . . . . . . . 75

6 Kp Mvig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

7 G Is disa a na . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

8 Jsus (Cui ix Vsus Css) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

9 T Rsps Is Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

10 Hs Fai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Reading Group Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134




PA R t o n e

Cig

a Cisis Fai

Fa ith Ca n se e m Certain . A ss pa

lai, msius bau li, as-

mais s i usl, i sm ls, i a m-

mui—i ul’ b a G.

Bu a als ss ssm w G

sms i abs glig. d w ig s

ss a i ass?

Smims a isis ai apps i a isa;

ims i’s a i i uai.

Wlm imais ai. A jus as im-

pa, pa ai iss ub ua-

sw qusis. Hs ai s’ G, bu

i s’ uai a paiul ali li

i.




1

t h e W o R l d

C R A s h e s A l l

t h e t i m e

How long, O Lord?

PSAL M 13:1

Liv in g i n this world me an s i mig as w u a

a mm. W’ vulabl. I a app miall psi-

all, miall spiiuall. I a app us sm

w lv. I a app m, wi I ’ li. I a app m ug aug s, wi I a.

A G is spsibl— pu i a wa, to blame . T

m lgiall mulai is a G a wa was

g, lv qui a ai m, a w ma/ma a mss

i. I i bliv a. Bu i’s als la m u ail ali—

v ssig suig, sui a p Cis—a

w’v b s ls i a pl law ssm.

I’s a I’m ugaul. I giz G is to blame v




21

The World Crashes All the Time

us, -ma’s la. I wa li I s i Psalms. Hw a I

i i amis ubbl a us? A miimum, w I ma is

l wa , wi wul a las b a sig li? I sms a sa

v am Blais mig lp—Blais a m i El, w

u imsl sul u llaps i Haii.

u u u

O Jaua 12, 2010, El is wig i u i jus Ru dl-

mas, a mai s P-au-Pi a us up mil i, pas bs w ub u wisil wi a i ag

ag, pas a upl g ss small mil- a

upp-lass, pas gas sais, a s w i s i

si Pivill m.

H lavs i, wals up s a bl a limbs

sais i l a six- l uivsi builig a a-

lass pagg. T pss is la, s El gs

ba al wi a upl is abu miss mw.

Tw-iv lassmas a a wai.

T builig sas sa. T m vill.

El gabs i bas v p wiw bsi im.

Saig a saig, sg a sg.

T builig ms asig w wi all m isi. T

uig llapsig . T sams.

El gasps wiw bas as alls.

A lag slab — walls a si il-

ig—smass i is ba, bu lil savs is li as las

sil u i.

T m sis m asig w.

T w is was alig wi a als aliv. T a igmslvs u i abu i mius a sa, as ’

abl, i lv s. Cus lassmas a sw ab. O-




After Shock

22

s a us, bui. Cis “Amway!” Help! m m i

iis i ubbl.

El a bal wal. A is is l i builig ll. A

sag is walig w s ug us a pas a

smas u a llaps wall. H pus a am au El lp

im limp w bls pla w ’ mall a a bus

wa is m usi i. A pass a gil wi

a aig u ug , allig u, “Sove m!

Sove m!” Save me! Save me! a a l limp b. H alizs as g a i’s jus is builig, is bl, a igb-

. Smig vas as app.

A aul li jls a wi, jagg li viims simulausl. A

suami ass i alg s, is i a isa all i is pa. Bu

siusss li is spas m li i wavs

mvig u m a pbbl— gigai bul—pp i a la.

El aivs a a isi mall jslig wi vils a

psias. nw i’s illig wi ppl w a su a i-

ju, ppl w a lig ssi, sm wi us limbs,

sm wl a. El sis, lis w. H alizs a’ g

up. His aali svs a sp.

El’s a (li i s i, al pius) is v wi i

us m llaps sl, m us a s a a i w milli ppl was sa li a l ug.

A is is. S is. dus is slig i. H s’ i

will ma i ug ig baus is mu a a a

a wi us. I ls a ba. S a is abu

is, a i sag walig b pauss, ls a u-u bag

a iig wa, pus sm gl wip a us

El’s a, givs im s wa i. T

sag ius is wa.

nig is aivig. Hus ppl assmbl i publi




23


squa w El is lig, baus i ms av llaps a

usa. Jus ass isi, a muual i a llagu

mi a El’s, Guillau, is als spig ig i squa

wi is wi a ug s, Max. Guillau a b i is

u, wi i’ llaps. A lma sl ass s

i. Guillau a s immial sa lpig pull il-

u sl.

I mil lpig, Guillau sul ug is

wi a ug s. H spiig ug i’s vas-a ss, pas m ppl ig u lp, uig ma

bls i is ss ss. H u is amil usi i apa-

m. T w sa, bu apam walls w issu a i

was lg livabl.

I a w ass a a. Wa was i li sp-

ig ig lig i a squa wi us ppl, uabl

mv? Wa sus migl wi us i ai? Cis ag?

Sil i a su isas? Mas s i pai? Hus

vsais as ppl w w abl i m a ?

“n,” El sas. “All ig lg w w sigig a paig

G.”

T sag u ms g. O ims ppl imp-

vis i w ms i sps wa ’ jus suviv. A pa.

Ag pas? Qusiig pas?

n, msl pas gaiu baus w w spa, El lls

m, a pas s w w’. All ig lg.

A vig suig a ai pass i a squa a i

a was w big i b As. I s’

sm a xaggai sa El pa i m -

maabl igs ai i wl’s is.

Is i saig u aw mial s Psalms




After Shock

24

w w G was w iibl sps ai

a wsip a ig?

u u u

T ws a aqua, El a I a b amaz ’s

aliv as w sp ug sap smll aig bis mig

up m u ubbl is uivsi. Rbas a wis li

lims spagi. Txbs, mblms a pmisig uu, a

sw ass ubbl, ulaim b i a a-wl sap. T’ mblms w us ams.

W wal pas a a sull. Bis a w ls ug

sua i bu bui xa a b bu. Gas-

li was pu w as a li wi a ma.

Lavig uivsi ubbl, w wal al a bl w

a w a w ppl waig maig T-sis is a big

pai abu six llas a a la as a siwals. A ig is

u is si wi a bl i a sas a wa isi.

W sp a i. Sawl ass si ig a

ws, “G Is V G.” T ubl r is mab a sig m-

pasis wavig, simpl a misspllig.

T i v is am Blais. W bu u is a sa

alig wi im. Saa qusis: “Hw’s u amil?” P-

u sass is v mamaiall s as—umb

amil aliv/a a ms llaps .

“W w u w aqua i?” I as.

Blais is a is gu. A lil siis bu ls m saig i

.

“I was siig v , ass s. I a sa sp.”

“Wa w u ig?”“Raig m Bibl,” sas i ugl sam wa Cli Eas-

w’s aa i a Ws wul sa, “Claig m gu.”




25


“Wa w u aig?”

“Maw 24.”

H’s is ps ll m is is wa was ig u-

ig aqua. I s vs ap Jsus sas

miusl, “Tul I ll u, s will b l up

a; all will b w w.” I’s abu mpl big -

s, abu aquas a sigs ims. Jsus is

paiig a vivi, awul visi uu. T pi is psv

i ai a b vigila abu u. T ial u is uwa will supis ma. I ub Blais was auall aig a

ap m Maw’s Gspl a mm qua su. I’s

pssibl, bu m b guss is ’s ig ma ss i-

ssibl. I wa w m.

“yu l sas, ‘G is v g.’ yu sill bliv is?” T

s a a uivsi is a u awa. I is qusi

a’ b as , w, w ug sp asig i.

T Psalms sul iaa. T passi a ugl

2,500-a-l lli pms ms li as Blais sps

ls m, w spaig as i Cl wi Eglis ppp

i. H’s alig abu w g G is, bu i a wa a’s ag,

li. Baus is ai is s aliv, I p asig m. H agl

ps alig, bu vuall i bms la a i I pus mua—i I p asig qusis abu G—I mig g pu

i mu.

n baus is ubs baus ’s pig smig

agil, ug. H s’ av a sl-svig aga ap -

ai, li s blabbig Amia TV a i ma pub-

li is (a pulpis?).

I’s ppsi all is. I’s agil baus i’s s al. H’s u.

Mab I a sa i is wa: i sms gu ul lvs G bu is

pul u a G wul allw suig all au im.




After Shock

26

I’s li ’ i a is lvs’ ig a I’ bs g i

mil . W sa gb.

u u u

T wa Blais was ig G (a m abu G) bigs up

m aa laws, wi is a I usuall avi a-

i. dalig wi li is m . W pi am up

i a pmaial uslig sssi, usl pi u (a

sm pbig) a i ul b baus m pas v ug i us a m wlg al v isag. (Paig:

yu a’ wi, a u?)

I av is w g saig igs -al a

sul’ av. I m g saig igs I sul av.

Li w I was walig ug dis Wl paig l

ll m m amil, w a ala aiv wi m

pas-i-law. Bsi m was a a umiliaig is -a-l

aug, saig, “yu’ uslss! G ig!” as m

l asam a sa sil li s us.

T i’s spii sm lav a i, splaig ail bl

bi pavm as s slu i Magi Kigm,

w ams m u. I i’ sa aig is a, ig

a a w amil . . . ug was’ ig i. I

m lil wa I l sam saig aig. T mm mus

liv wi iibl sam saig up, w s sl is

b i a p malais.

T avi ai wi G, smims I umb m

li wi mu slp a la , wi mu w, wi

musi, wi abspi i laisips, wi aviig lai-

sips baus ma u v m ll i u’ bigaui.

Bu avi suig a isappim mas avi li isl.




27


S I’m l wig is: big aui—a a s—

b G ls li a ma li a a. Wi s mu a

sa, i a l u lav u al qusis a pss u-

vi.

I’s mal a a ag, w wispa psal, as

pival a smims publil, “W was G? Ca I sill b-

liv i G?”

I was as is a aqua, b ppl w w

m is Haii ( sls w w wi llaps,ug b i was iju). I’s a ai qusi. Bu

aqua val ig w. T agi, ii, bual a-

u li was ala plail vi. T wa p ppl a

v m vulabl a laivl wal was ala plail

vi.

I m il w iags wi a aal isas, i wul

val ig w abu wl G. I su wil p-

ig a. Fis a gig ug is w; ms awul igs

imagiabl ala app all im.

F s w liv b sm ai, w wa a ai b s-

wi-p s, w wa b abl sp gss wi

gaiu, is’ li isl a i iuus isis ai?




so great

My fr ie n d Jon Pau l an d i w suig ligi a is-

i Iia uig a ms summ. W sp im a a Cis-

ia smia a visi Hiu mpls, Muslim msqus, Jai a

Buis sis. I a vls b Salma Rusi a s uig

imiabl ai is (li m suws

u up dli a six-sv us; I sill mmb sual pupl u abi).

O u visis was a Cisia-u paag il

wi sv psial a mal isabiliis.

T sa was aig. T ailiis w la bu sus bvi-

usl spa. W w iu a, as app w w

visi i sls, il sag a sg. Li i Haii, is is

pa ulu. O J Paul a I w ivi ipa.

A sl w a a impmpu “Amazig Ga” u.

W sag “Blwi’ i Wi” a a lbai Iia’s ii a-

ivsa ip (’ as; sill a usa w

is app). O ims w i sls. J Paul a ms

sl us lsw, s i was m u i paag.

I s up i s svl isabl il asa sigig l il’s sg wi ais a am

mi:

M G is s big,

s sg a s mig

T’s ig m G a .

T muais a His,

T as a His,

T sas a His aiw .




29


I was ig ais. T ws am u m mu, a

isal siig li a lgial bis. A a x

m pi m ais—lig ams u G’s gau,

lxig bips sw G’s sg. Mawil, baus

i isabiliis, l a w il a G-giv a-

pai v s ms simpl mis abu G’s g-

ss a mip.

M G is s big,

s sg a s mig

T’s ig m G a .

I’s li Cisp His a Ria dawis w

Atheism: The Musical a I uwiigl bam sa.

O a a sl ul’ quil ug m. Ta I

a’ sig wll was b a las pblms. I ul blam

l m ai a sg i. A wi s il is p-

isl pla sa w i’s pssibl sig, a

wa lis sul b.

After Shock by Kent Annan

Documents

Transcript of After Shock by Kent Annan