It is a new year and new decade! As I defeated myself trying to figure out the correct pronunciation of "2010" -- "twenty-ten" or "two-thousand-ten" -- elsewhere in the world, issues of graver concern emerged. Three days ago, a 7.0 earthquake shook Haiti to its core; it has shaken the entire world too, into action.
I immediately thought of the 2007 earthquake in Szechuan, China, that killed nearly 70,000 people. Well, Haiti is likely in a worse situation: an island nation that was already suffering from extreme poverty, 80% of Haitians have no access to clean water, and 80% are illiterate. The earthquake has only exacerbated an already desperate situation. Thankfully, the global response has been immense and relatively quick. News stations all feature excellent coverage of the disaster response, also broadcasting tear-filled stories of families reunited. There is much hope in trying times.
I have been back home from France for nearly a month now, and I realized how valuable my knowledge of French could be in Haiti. How valuable the tap water you and I let run a little too long every day. How valuable a couple of dollars could be for the Haitians. The earthquake showed the desperation of Haiti to all, but maybe we shouldn't need a natural disaster to remind us of the everyday suffering of some people.
In any case, an easy way to donate $10 to the Haitians through the American Red Cross is to text "HAITI" to 90999. The donation will be charged to your wireless bill.
It's never easy to rebound from a natural disaster, and the earthquake may seem like a devastating start to the shiny New Year. But take this as an opportunity to start the year by reaching out; let service be at the forefront of your resolutions this January; certain things can wait but aid is needed now.
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