I'm currently in the process of watching the "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon, on TNT. And, so far, it has been absolutely amazing.
It's wonderful and touching that they were able to organize a show like this, and receive the assistance of so many celebrities of various types in a relatively short amount of time.
There are lots of different ways you can give, to help Haiti in light of this tragedy. Visit the site for more info. ~ http://hopeforhaitinow.org/
The survival stories have been especially inspiring and heart-warming. People found days after the devastating quake, trapped under mounds of rubble, some miraculously alive.
Living in California, earthquakes are a fairly constant worry for me (me and most of the state). When I see the devastation this quake has brought to Port Au Prince, I can't help but empathize as I imagine what I would do. Hell, California is waiting for a quake of similar magnitude. I grew up being warned that it was coming for us, while doing weekly earthquake drills (which I find are actually very little help when the world is crashing down around you so quickly). And, though this same situation has crossed my mind and given me day/nightmares time and time again. I STILL can't wrap my brain around what I would do, if I lost everything and everyone in my life...
I would like to think that I would be half as strong as most of the Haitian people I'm watching right now. I'd like to think that I would be one quarter as strong as Monley, the little 5 year old boy that was just found alive after 8 days trapped beneath a crumbled building without food, water, comfort, room to move an inch...
I know that we never know how strong we are until we have to be. I believe that, and I know from experience that it's true. But... honestly... I'm not quite arrogant enough to believe that I could be quite THAT strong.
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
January 22, 2010
January 21, 2010
Why Help Haiti?
Believe it or not, there are people who are asking this question right now and seriously wondering why we should get involved in helping the people and country of Haiti, in light of this most recent natural disaster.
With the likes of Pat Robertson making public statements that this tragedy is somehow God's will or punishment, it amazes me that there are people who truly believe this.
The fact of the matter is, these are people we're talking about here; flesh and blood beings that are in desperate need of help. Imagine losing any and all access to health care (WHILE you're injured or dying). Imagine losing any and all access to food, water, basic sanitation.... Imagine losing your shelter, your loved ones, and anything and everything else you hold dear.
The fact of the matter is, natural disasters happen. They aren't the fault of Gods or devils. They aren't the fault of any particular religion or culture practiced by any particular group of people. They happen anywhere there's a fault line... an ocean... earth... And, they affect anyone and everyone, whether or not they believe in any particular deity, whether or not they are "good" or "bad".
Well, now a natural disaster has occurred in Haiti. This has affected a group of people who were already poor, facing hardships that we Americans may not even be able to imagine.
Honestly, maybe we should have been helping the people and country of Haiti long before this tragedy struck. And, perhaps, if this devastation can bring us to a place where we're willing to do anything and everything we can NOW to help these people... maybe, just maybe, there's a silver lining to this cloud.
So... why help Haiti? Because it's the right thing to do. Because these are people... children... pregnant women... scared beings that need the very basic things that we take for granted each and every day. Because we, all of us, have the power to help if even in some small way.
If you have the ability, you can go out there yourself and volunteer your time to those in need. That may not be feasible for most people, myself included. But, that's certainly not the only way to lend a helping hand.
How about donating the money you were going to spend on the latest video game or DVD to UNICEF or the American Red Cross? I'd bet most of us could do that.
Even just writing a blog, or a tweet, to remind people who are maybe forgetting or pushing it out of their mind - Haiti still needs any help anyone can provide, and they will for quite some time.
With the likes of Pat Robertson making public statements that this tragedy is somehow God's will or punishment, it amazes me that there are people who truly believe this.
The fact of the matter is, these are people we're talking about here; flesh and blood beings that are in desperate need of help. Imagine losing any and all access to health care (WHILE you're injured or dying). Imagine losing any and all access to food, water, basic sanitation.... Imagine losing your shelter, your loved ones, and anything and everything else you hold dear.
The fact of the matter is, natural disasters happen. They aren't the fault of Gods or devils. They aren't the fault of any particular religion or culture practiced by any particular group of people. They happen anywhere there's a fault line... an ocean... earth... And, they affect anyone and everyone, whether or not they believe in any particular deity, whether or not they are "good" or "bad".
Well, now a natural disaster has occurred in Haiti. This has affected a group of people who were already poor, facing hardships that we Americans may not even be able to imagine.
Honestly, maybe we should have been helping the people and country of Haiti long before this tragedy struck. And, perhaps, if this devastation can bring us to a place where we're willing to do anything and everything we can NOW to help these people... maybe, just maybe, there's a silver lining to this cloud.
So... why help Haiti? Because it's the right thing to do. Because these are people... children... pregnant women... scared beings that need the very basic things that we take for granted each and every day. Because we, all of us, have the power to help if even in some small way.
If you have the ability, you can go out there yourself and volunteer your time to those in need. That may not be feasible for most people, myself included. But, that's certainly not the only way to lend a helping hand.
How about donating the money you were going to spend on the latest video game or DVD to UNICEF or the American Red Cross? I'd bet most of us could do that.
Even just writing a blog, or a tweet, to remind people who are maybe forgetting or pushing it out of their mind - Haiti still needs any help anyone can provide, and they will for quite some time.
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