THE NEED STILL EXISTS

I intended to change the topic and the photo at the top of the page. However, I cannot as yet. There may not be the television coverage of the earthquake in Haiti that there was in the first week following the disaster, but the pain and suffering and need will be with the Haitian people for a long, long time to come.

For days I watched and cried and prayed for the pitiful victims as well as those who struggled long hours in the heat attempting to rescue or tend their wounds. I cheered with them as beyond all belief, new survivors were rescued days -- and now two weeks after they were trapped. The images will stay with me forever. Who could not cry when the 18 month old toddler was pulled from the wreckage after nearly three days? She lay near her mother and father who were both killed. I raised my arms and sang with the elderly woman as she was pulled out after days of being buried alive. Her joy was so contagious. Onlookers cheered, sang, and praised God.

I applauded the determination of the young American husband who was in the States at the time of the earthquake, who received a call from his wife who was trapped and still was able to use her cell phone to tell him how to find her. He was in Haiti six hours later, digging almost singlehandedly through the rubble to save her! It was a wonder to me, considering the chaos wreaked on travel in and out of Haiti.

It was difficult to watch as bodies piled up in the streets and people became more desperate for food, water, and medical attention ~ often lying in the open with life-threatening injuries for days without treatment. I sent my love and prayers to those courageous doctors and medical personnel who managed on so little in the way of medical supplies. We all heard of the doctor who used Vodka on wounds when they ran out of alcohol.

I felt the frustration of the military as they watched the badly needed relief supplies pile up at the damaged airport... and the planes that circled for hours waiting to bring more supplies.

I found most of my information on the Internet news sites. Typically, our television networks concentrated on the American efforts. However, there must be dozens or more countries involved in these relief efforts. The Israelis were the first to set up a field hospital, complete with operating rooms near the airfield. Partners in Health, with a permanent hospital nearby Port Au Prince shared all of their medical supplies with the damaged or destroyed hospitals within the city itself. Doctors Without Borders were on the scene within days.

I read of so many, many countries providing relief in the way of search and rescue teams, water and food and medical supplies, medical personnel, and even engineers to help get the city utilities up and running again. Several South American countries, including Chile, Columbia, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay sent help. Mexico and Cuba. And of course the European countries of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy... the Norwegian countries as well as China and Japan were all represented. Australia, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirate and Quatar sent help.. Even some of the poorer African nations contributed to the relief effort.

My heart swelled. And I could sleep better at night knowing how connected we are on this planet. The United States always leads the way in humanitarian relief, but we are joined by our brothers around the world. A monthly donation to one of the wonderful relief organizations doing such demanding work in Haiti will be good for them and for our own souls. They represent those of us who would be there if only we could.

It would be easy to remember only the devastation, and despair that there would ever be a semblance of normal life again in this poor country. The riots and looting make better headlines and photo ops at times. The work to put things together again seems monumental. I choose to recall the miracles taking place, and the heroic efforts and sacrifices being made by people from all over the world to help our neighbors, our brothers... Let us not forget that nearly 200,000 souls have lost their lives, and thousands of precious children have been left orphans. Let us not forget. And let us still extend a helping hand.

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Peace and love,
Marilyn

P.S.

I just read this on the web and thought I should post it:
"Baltimore Sun:
Donations for Haiti have poured in to the American Red Cross of Central Maryland from a range of sources. Nothing, though, has stood out like the coins and crumpled dollar bills that spilled from one envelope.
That gift - $14.64 - came from the pockets of homeless people at a downtown Baltimore shelter."