Donations of time, money can make difference in Haiti’s recovery

By Andrew Mell
Western Herald

Normally we are not subjected to the images of extreme poverty, poor living conditions, and overall disaster. When we do have to face the fact that these things exist, they most often are through images from places half a world away. Haiti, however, lies only hundreds of miles away from American soil, which is perhaps why its images are all the more gut wrenching.

As you well know, last Tuesday saw a nation barely on its feet get pummeled with the crippling effects of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, was devastated and many thousands of people were displaced or worse.

Haiti is simply not equipped to handle such a disaster. The scope of the damage is unbelievable; for a country so small, this earthquake has destroyed a large percentage of the landscape. The United States has never seen such devastation.

Beyond the scope of last week’s earthquake, the phrase that the poor keep getting poorer comes to mind. Haiti has a population where nearly 80 percent of the citizens live at or well below the poverty level. Illiteracy is rampant as education, healthcare, and basic services teeter from insufficient to completely unavailable.

The magnificent Presidential palace was leveled, as well as the UN headquarters; there truly is no level of infrastructure that was built in a way to withstand such a devastating earthquake.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. At the doorstep of the most powerful and influential country in the world Haitian people live in a way that most of us cannot even comprehend.

Humanitarian aid enters Haiti frequently, often in the form of a constant stream of missionaries, but now, and beyond when CNN finds something more interesting to report, the US needs to help a nation survive. It should be our goal to prevent Haiti from succumbing to complete extinction.

Thankfully, we appear to be on the right track. Aid is entering into Haiti at a rapid pace, both in people and materials. By texting “HAITI” to 90999 the American Red Cross will receive a $10 dollar donation. The $10 will simply be added to your monthly bill. If even a tenth of all cell phone users donate, the aid would be unbelievable.

Television cameras will continue to focus on Haiti as survivors and victims are still being pulled from the rubble. It may be weeks – if not months – before final death counts are reached and the total scope of the devastation realized.

Undoubtedly by this time millions of dollars of aid will have entered into Haiti and thousands of relief workers will be doing their best to aid the victims. Where we must strive to do more is in the months to come.

Months from now, and years from now, the buildings of Haiti will still be reduced to nothing more than rubble piles. Most of the debris will probably have yet to be removed, yet international interest will be focused elsewhere.

Haiti will need our help for many years to come if it is to recover, and as world citizens we should settle for no less than building Haiti back to be stronger than it ever has been. Small donations can be given by all, and large by many. Missionaries will continue to travel to Haiti, perhaps more people will be
willing to do such a trip.

How amazing would it be if the spring breaks of college students across the country were instead given to the service of rebuilding a devastated third world country? The influx of hundreds of thousands of young people to Haiti would be endlessly helpful.

We are judged for how we treat others, especially how we treat people who can’t defend themselves, how we treat those who possibly are unable to reciprocate our kindness. Our failures in New Orleans could help us to not make the same mistake twice; a gold lining from some very dark days.

Remember, “HAITI” to 90999 could be $10 that makes a very big difference in someone’s life. What a small price to pay.

Andrew Mell, a Western Herald opinion columnist, is a senior majoring in aviation, and can be reached via e-mail at melltimejr@hotmail.com.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=13838

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Jan 20 2010. Filed under Editorial, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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