Help For Haiti

I am in New Jersey this weekend, attending a business seminar. As usual when I am out of town, I got up early to work out in the fitness room. As I pulled the handles of the eliptical machine and checked my heart rate, I listened to the news about Haiti, and learned a lot I hadn't known before.

It seems that Haiti is a very young country, with the average age there being 25. I don't know whether that is because life is so hard there most people don't make it much past that age or not, but that's what the newscaster said. They also showed a Google Earth picture of Port au Prince, before and after the 7.0 earthquake. One minute you could see it, and the next...gone.

Secretary of State Clinton was there, talking about the need for a plan to rebuild Haiti. She said the structures there really weren't so great before, and plans for rebuilding should include more than just trying to patch up the old buildings. Rather, a complete rennovation is needed.

Military helicopters are bringing in supplies to the earthquake victims, but their large size is stirring up all the rubble in the areas where it is clear enough to land, making it a very dangerous situation for both pilots and those on the ground waiting for help. It seems smaller helicopters wouldn't stir up the air as much, but they simply can't carry the massive amount of supplies that are needed.

Here in New Jersey, I read about school children holding fundraisers in order to send money to help the earthquake victims. In fact, everywhere I look, I see people concerned about the Haitian plight. It makes me realize just how small our planet really is, and how interconnected we all are.

Recently, I have grieved the loss of several family members. I tried to imagine what it must be like for the Haitians, with the massive devastation everywhere, but I couldn't. It's just too much. Amazingly though, the newscasters said that people there are praising, not blaming, God. That is incomprehensible to me. They must have very loving souls.

In this day and age, there is no room for remaining separate from the rest of the world, and that's a good thing. The more love we give, the more we have to give, and the more we will receive. Life isn't about win-lose anymore. Now is the time for win-win. Or it will be lose-lose for all of us.

As I listened to the sheer numbers of what is needed (supplies, medical assistance, and so forth), I really wondered what one person could possibly do to make a difference. Then I thought of the schoolchildren in Jersey (and elsewhere, no doubt), having a bake sale to earn money to send to people they've never met. If we all do something, it will be enough.

There are many places taking donations for the people in Haiti, so I won't list them here. You can find them just as easily yourself. But please take the time to help, in whatever way works for you. Life is too short to spend it thinking only of ourselves.