help the people of haiti

As I was driving home from the store today, I was thinking about our financial difficulties--questioning, wondering, and doubting. My eyes were drawn to the bay, which I drive along everyday to get to my house, and I couldn't help but think of how the world is so much bigger than what is in my life. There are countless others suffering horrors my family has never encountered. Of course I instantly thought about Haiti. As I've been reading about it today, my heart just breaks for everyone there, especially the children. This earthquake, no doubt, has orphaned even more children. And I can't help but wonder why a people who are already suffering so much have to continue to suffer such atrocities. Life never seems fair. But of course, I don't have the full picture. I didn't create this place, and me in my finite little life in a small town in Texas no less, can't begin to piece together the way the world works. What I do know, however, is that we can't sit by while such devastation happens and do nothing. If nothing else, I know we are here for each other. So I encourage you today to give whatever you can, however you can, in a way that you can. 

I especially love supporting Living Water International because I know the money is going directly to help the people, and they are caring for their most basic need, water of course, by building and restoring wells. Their goal is to restore 500 wells, and they are partnering with other water relief organizations (you can see those with links at the bottom or their webpage) to accomplish this goal. In addition, if you donate through this page, razoo will match your donation. Other great organizations are--

MercyCorps (a donor is currently matching the next $250,000 in donations)
Doctors Without Borders 
The American Red Cross

There are also much smaller efforts aimed at specifically helping women in childbirth by providing midwifery care and also safe birthing kits. Two I really like are--

Haiti Marycare 
Midwives for Haiti/blog
The Joy and Hope of Haiti

I am currently trying to find ways we can help in the area of maternal-child health by contacting organizations who are doing such work. Countless women and babies die in childbirth in Haiti simply because they use unsterilized objects to cut the umbilical cord, which leads them to contract tetanus, and without healthcare and immunizations, they die. Who would think something as simple as sterile scissors, a razor blade or a knife, along with a few other supplies, could help so much? If you have any leads on how we can help in this area, I would love to hear them. I will also keep you posted on what I find out.

Comments

[Kelly]

I just posted a letter from a friend from college that will be traveling with her husband down to Haiti next week on my blog...