Friday, January 15, 2010

Hope for Haiti

By now I am sure you have heard about the earthquake in Haiti. An earthquake of this magnitude would wreak havoc anywhere. Haiti, though, is not just anywhere. It is one of the poorest countries in the world; it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Haiti shares its island home of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. At one time the two countries were united as one nation. Today they have an uneasy relationship. Political unrest over shadows the country. The infrastructure is poor and could not stand up to the quake. Poverty is a way of life in Haiti. People struggle to stay alive and feed their families on good days. Days that bring devastation the size of this earthquake are so far from good they don’t even appear to exist in the same spectrum.

Now Port-au-Prince is buried under rubble. Thousands, possibly more, are dead or missing. People cannot return to their homes because of the instability. Rescue workers can’t keep up. Good Samaritans and family members are digging, often with bare hands, through the remains of houses to help find survivors. Hospitals and other medical facilities were quickly overwhelmed. Fresh water is becoming a problem. Life has spiraled down for the Haitian people. They need our prayers and our help.

Prayer is always the best first step. Please join me in praying mightily for Haiti. Relief agencies are seeking financial help and other donations. If you don’t know where to start, the American Red Cross is a good place to turn. Every little bit helps; won’t you?

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng

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