Haiti: Learning and Helping

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ZackFairLover's avatar
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On January 12th, 2010, disaster hit the country of Haiti in the form of a 7.0 earthquake.  Since then, chaos has held tight to the country, but especially to the capitol, Port-au-Prince.  The death toll has been steadily climbing, as has the number of injured or missing people.  Aftershocks still rock the country.  And all over the world, people are uniting to help Haiti.

Last week, I was over hanging at a friends house.  The mother of one of my friends was talking about a conversation she had had with her family, where she'd talked about the problems in Haiti, and how they should help out.  Her daughter-in-law's response rocked her - basically, the girl said "Why?  Why do I care?"

Why do you care?  I'll tell you why you should care.

Those people over there are human beings, just like you.  Men, women, and children are dead or dying now, and you have a chance to help.  But no, apparently no one cares.  To us, it's just a story we've heard.  We can't see the people, we weren't in the earthquake, so why does it matter?
Let me quote a few numbers at you.  As of January 27th, there are a confirmed 170,000 dead.  Those are just those that have been found - estimates say that between 200,000 and 300,000 more have been buried and rubble and can't be extracted for a proper funeral.  This is all just in the capitol city.
To date, there have been over 52 aftershocks.  More than 20,000 commercial buildings have been destroyed, along with an estimated 225,000 houses that have collapsed or been severely damaged.  Over three million people have been affected by the quake, with an estimated 1,000,000 left homeless all across the country.  With numbers like these, I think it's a pretty safe assumption that every single person in Haiti has somehow been affected, either by losing a loved one or by being injured themself.

I know that to many of you, these are just numbers on a screen.  It doesn't really matter what happens over there (where is Haiti, anyway?) when you're just sitting at home on your chair at your computer.  For you, life goes on, and you live in peace knowing that you are out of danger.

Let's flip this, shall we?  It's an average, ordinary day.  You're at home, at work, at school, wherever.  Suddenly, the ground begins to shake.  These minor rumbles are just the start of the earthquake.  Soon, buildings are collapsing, people are screaming, and you're panicking.
If, by some miracle of God's grace you survive, you're probably hurt.  You at least have a few cuts or bruises, but more important to you is this: is your family alright?  Did your friends survive?
You desperately need help - your country is in chaos and there are so many hurt or dead.  But no one is coming, because no one cares - am I right?  They are just sitting in their chairs, reading the numbers and then going on with their lives like it doesn't even matter.

Because that's exactly what you're doing.
In the end, you don't care.

But I say you should.

As such, I'm starting a little something.  It's not a game, and it's not a contest, because people's lives are at stake.  February is the month of Love, so from now, Feb. 1st, until Feb. 28th, I'm opening an offer.  Donate something, be it money, canned goods, clothes, anything.  I don't care how much you donate - it can be $1, it can be $100 dollars.  Give it to anywhere that you know it will go to Haiti.  A few choice donating sites or ways to donate are the following:
klove.com/promodetails.aspx?i=…
www.helphaitinow.org/
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/…

When you've donated, take a screenshot of your reciept or confirmation and post it somewhere, be it deviantArt, photobucket, whatever.  Send me a link to it in a note titled "Help Haiti".  If you go to a local charity and donate food or goods, take a picture of it by the charity building.

In return, sometime in March I will write a journal and a news feature that features everyone who donated.  Three people will be randomly chosen and I will do either a short story or a picture for you.  If you are interested in helping me give out prizes, please, let me know.  Whatever you can do will help.

If you are short on money, write a journal!  Spread the word!  If you do, I'll feature you as well, though you won't be entered in the drawing.

These people need us, and we can make a difference.  Now get out there and do something.

God bless you all,
ZackFairLover
© 2010 - 2024 ZackFairLover
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Sephiano's avatar
ive donated £25 pound to haiti
ive done 2 sponsered silences and im about to do a sponsered run for them.