Thursday, January 21, 2010

Heartbroken for Haiti


In recent years I have begun to consider travelling to the Caribbean for a beautiful, tropical vacation. Sitting on a beach with a book in one hand, and an umbrella-garnished drink in the other, has become more appealing as my life as gotten more full. St. Martin, St. Bart's, St. Kitt...they each hold an attraction for me and I believe that one day I will visit their shores. But for now, my heart is buried under a pile of rubble in Haiti. I can't stop thinking about the complete horror and fear that the residents of this unfairly poor country are experiencing, and admire their ability to simply wake up in the morning and attempt to obtain the basic essentials that will allow them to live another day. If I allow myself to consider the fear and frustration that the earthquakes victims must be feeling, I swear I can feel my lungs tighten with concrete dust and my forehead bead with sweat. When Elisabeth Joassaint, a 23-day-old baby, was pulled from the wreckage of her family's home after being buried for 8 days, a piece of my heart fell back into place.


Miracles like Elisabeth Joassaint are inexplicable and must be accepted with grace. And while we are occupied with the acceptance of grace, we must also take action to aid the survivors. Talk to your neighbors, your friends, your children and together make some contribution to help the people of Haiti.
How to help - from msnbc.


2 comments:

  1. Thanks for writing and posting this. You expressed everything I've been feeling so clearly and beautifully. If I've caught myself feeling whiney about something inconsequential, it's been quick to end this past week; I wonder how long this reignited appreciation for basic things will last. I hope a lifetime, and that we can pass this appreciation down to our kids.

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  2. Thank you, Rachel. The challenges faced by the people of Haiti are so beyond the unique challenges you & I shared, yet I knew this situation would strike a chord with you. The gumption and drive we were fortunate to have been blessed with, is simply not enough for the earthquake victims - they need help from the outside to shore up their internal resources.

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