Lessons from the Earthquake in Haiti

I thank you all for your prayers and donations to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Many tons of aid have already arrived and much more is still being shipped, but most of the Haitian people continue to go without food and water.

The reasons? The airport was severely damaged in the quake, and it has run out of fuel. There are no clear or safe passage ways to get the supplies to the people in Port-au-Prince, due to rubble and the country's long history of dangerous instability with militias. Equipment is desperately lacking to clear the roads and aid in rescuing those still trapped under rubble. The shipping harbor was also quite damaged. The electricity is out, which makes all efforts more difficult. Aid is pouring in, vessel after vessel, but it is just not getting to those in dire need. People will die because of this inefficiency.

Haiti's extreme poverty caused most buildings to be very poorly constructed, and thus, not earthquake-resistant, which caused an extremely high number of casualties. (Compare the 50,000-100,000 expected dead of this quake to the 63 dead in California's Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989). While the economy of the Western Hemisphere's poorest country is in the hands of their unfortunately inept government, there obviously was a serious lack of foresight in disaster planning, which, I suppose, goes back to their inept government. But you would think a Caribbean country that is hit often by hurricanes would have some semblance of a plan in place.

So in thinking about planning for disasters, I realized I don't have any in place for myself or my family. Do you? Do you know what to do if some large-scale disaster occurs, blocking all streets, cutting off electricity and communication? Do you have a reserve of survival supplies? Do you have the basic necessities in reserve to last through the wait for disaster relief? Do you have set meeting places for all of your loved ones to congregate?

While thinking about worst-case scenarios is not pleasant in the least, a little preparation could make the literal difference in your survival. Talk these issues over with loved ones and make plans. I don't suggest going overboard, as some did with Y2K preparations, but I do suggest you cover your bases. I know I'm going to.



On a slight tangent, I feel compelled to address something disgusting and disturbing said by televangelist Pat Robertson. He stated that Haiti deserved the wrath of God via this devastating earthquake. The reason:

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about. They were under the heel of the French, you know, Napoleon III and, whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the [French].' True story."

This statement is so obviously asinine, it doesn't even merit addressing, but it goes to show you what crazy, wealthy people will spout off when they delude themselves into thinking they can speak for God. Please pray for Pat Robertson's poor soul. And may God heal his mental illness.

Call for Prayers and Donations for Haiti!

As most of you have probably heard, Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince, was hit almost directly with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake yesterday afternoon. In the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, shoddy construction is the norm. And in a city of over 2 million people, the devastation is mind-boggling vast: the death toll soaring over 100,000 is expected, as piles of bodies grow on every street; many, many people are still trapped under piles of rubble, waiting to be saved before it is too late, including many children underneath what used to be their schools; there have been so many thousands of people injured that there are not even remotely enough health professionals to treat them; many tens of thousands of people are now homeless, including many children, who are filling up makeshift orphanages as quickly as they are created; and those who survived are scrambling to find potable water and enough food to not perish in the aftermath. It is woefully grim, through and through.

Through the grace of God, the human family is intensely compassionate and cares for its own, and the spirit of generosity and love is pouring in from all corners of the globe, but much, much more is definitely immediately needed. I have listed some charitable organizations below (from msnbc). If you can afford to spare any money, please do so. You can even text a donation on your cell phone. But if not, at the very least, I beg you pray for the victims, especially all of those still trapped under the rubble, that they be rescued before it's too late, particularly the dear children. God be with Haiti as they deal with the worst catastrophe in their history.


Please contact the organizations below right away:

Action Against Hunger, 877-777-1420
American Red Cross, 800-733-2767
American Jewish World Service, 212-792-2900
AmeriCares, 800-486-4357
Beyond Borders, 866-424-8403
CARE, 800-521-2273
Catholic Relief Services, 800-736-3467
Childcare Worldwide, 800-553-2328
Direct Relief International, 805-964-4767
Doctors Without Borders, 888-392-0392
Feed My Starving Children, 763-504-2919
Food for the Poor, 800-427-9104
Friends of WFP, 866-929-1694
Haiti Children, 877-424-8454
Haiti Marycare, 203-675-4770
Haitian Health Foundation, 860-886-4357
Hope for Haiti, 239-434-7183
International Medical Corps, 800-481-4462
International Rescue Committee, 877-733-8433
International Relief Teams, 619-284-7979
Lutheran World Relief, 800-597-5972
Medical Teams International, 800-959-4325
Meds and Food for Kids, 314-420-1634
Mennonite Central Committee, 888-563-4676
Mercy Corps, 888-256-1900
Operation Blessing, 800-730-2537
Operation USA, 800-678-7255
Oxfam, 800-776-9326
Partners in Health, 617-432-5298
Rural Haiti Project, 347-405-5552
The Salvation Army, 800-725-2769
Samaritan's Purse, 828-262-1980
Save the Children, 800-728-3843
UNICEF, 800-367-5437
World Concern, 800-755-5022
World Hope International, 888-466-4673
World Relief, 800-535-5433
World Vision, 888-511-6548

Yele Haiti, 212-352-0552 Wyclef Jean's grassroots org (Text Yele to 501 501 to donate $5 via your cellphone)

Also, you can simply text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross.



Links:

The story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34829978/ns/world_news-americas/?GT1=43001

How to help: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/