Sunday, January 17, 2010

Helping Haiti

The situation in Haiti is desperate. I keep thinking about the people and how horrific it must be for them to be without food, water, and sanitation. To see body parts sticking out from crushed buildings. So much death and despair. And it's probably going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

A blog entry on 01/17/10 from Doctors without Borders : "We need more space to perform surgeries. We need the inflatable hospital, if it ever arrives. So, it's getting worse. Patients who were not critical only three days ago are now in critical phases. This means that people will die from preventable infections. It's horrible. It's really so terrible that people are begging for help and we can't help them all to save their lives!"

I pray that aid will come quickly to them and that God will turn this desperate situation for good. Here are a few things you can do to help:

1. Don't judge. Don't listen to people like Pat Robertson. His words are unkind, unhelpful, and presumptious. Who are we to speak for God and say why such a tragedy has happened? Instead, I appreciated the following responses and comments to the Haiti earthquake:
Does God Hate Haiti? Al Mohler
Yo, Pat Robertson. What's God got to do with it? Elizabeth Esther
A Compassionate Response to Pat Robertson on Haiti Matt Bell

2. Send money. I chose the following organizations to support: World Vision, Compassion, Convoy of Hope (Assembly of God), Doctors Without Borders, and Mercy Ships. You can also text donations using your cell phone though the donation may not be applied for up to a month or more. Text 'Haiti' to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross or text 'Haiti' to 864833 to donate $5 to the United Way. The donation will show up on your phone bill next month.

3. Pray. Haiti has limited to no infrastructure so aid workers have been having great difficulty obtaining and mobilizing supplies. Pray that there will God will raise up people to organize and administrate the relief efforts. Also pray that God will use the Christian workers to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:36

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