On January 12, Haiti was struck by the worst earthquake in over 200 years. A 7.3 magnitude.. The news are everywhere and I can't describe the feelings that I have been dealing with since I've seen pictures and heard reports on the current condition of the already poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Ever since I went to Haiti last year, my heart has changed in an indescribable way. I miss being there. I miss seeing the people's excited faces as we are helping them, at least for a short moment. I could barely focus at work all week because all I could think about was that I wanted to pack my bags and go to Haiti to help with the emergency recovery. But what would I do? I would have no idea how to help. Instead, I am sitting at my job, dialing away, calling on students who won't appreciate their luxurious opportunity to go back to school. Do people understand how rare it is to even have an education?? We had our holiday party today and it made me sick, looking at all the people eating and drinking like it's no one's business. I realize I might over react a little bit on this and that life has to go on. Got it! But DeVry probably spent a good $100k on this event to feed 1,000 employees, get them tipsy, and entertain them with a Circus Boy that might as well have attended a 10-year-old's birthday party!!
Currently, there are a ton of charities that are looking to raise money so that they can bring food, water, medical supplies and the right people down to Haiti to help recover and treat victims. CNN gives hourly updates on the status of the island and the lists give me a really good idea of the kind of organizations I want to work for. I just haven't figured out how to get involved...
My initial thoughts were to go to Haiti immediately. But I realized quickly that that probably wouldn't be a smart idea. So I am thinking, I have time at the end of the year. After I have to leave the U.S. and before I go back to Germany I could definitely spend a month or so helping in Haiti. After this disaster, help will be needed for decades to restore everything.. I will plan to do some research to figure out what the best way will be to go down there. In the meantime, I am trying to raise awareness through as many channels as possible. But even that seems hard. It seems like people either didn't even hear about the earth quake at all, or they simply don't care about it very much because they are too occupied with their own "problems." The fact that that's so shocking to me, is just another way how God has changed my heart over the last year. I find it hard to speak with anyone about my fears and worries about Haiti, unless they've been there before. Our church has been wonderful in sending out updates on our friends in Haiti. Every time there are news, El Shaddai posts an update on their blog. Praise God, for all of the orphans survived the earth quake. Now the concern is to get supplies through to them. Videos from Louis St. Germain, the kind man who's house we stayed in last year, show the extent of the destruction his home town Les Cayes suffered from.
I could go on and on about how heart-broken I am over the suffering that millions of people are going through at this moment and how I want to do something because I feel helpless. But what I learned is to be patient and to pray that our good good God will somehow fix this!