Relief Force to Haiti

I am excited to announce that I was accepted to be part of a relief force to Haiti!  I was suppose to have left Wednesday morning, but now (to give the people there more time to collect orphans that some will be coming back with--I think about 150) I will be leaving Thursday morning for three weeks.  I am so excited!  Imagine having the chance to help in a situation like that?!  I will be helping with the medical, construction, and translation part of things. To find out more info, check out this website http://www.utahhospitaltaskforce.blogspot.com/.

I am also scared because I have lead a very sheltered life.  I have never seen the things I will see.  Dead bodies litter the streets, something that anyone would find shocking.  They say that Haiti will become a country of amputees.  The earthquake caused many things to fall on people, destroying limbs.  And then people have had to cut off limbs because they did not have the tools they needed to save them.  It was either an arm or a life.

I know this trip will change me forever.  And I am hoping that change will be for the better.  Either way, it's worth it in order to save others.  Even if it's just one life.

Focusing on Haiti's beauty

I feel that a lot of what I hear of Haiti are the sad and ugly parts.  It is filled with beauty, love, charity, sadness, pain, violence, and many of the other things that can be found at other parts of the world.  But for now, I wanted to show some of the beautiful things that can be seen on this island.  My parents talk a lot of the nice things they used to see and experience as teenagers there.  They especially make sure to tell me these things when all I say of Haiti are the things I hear in the news.  These pictures are some that I found in a facebook group.  Since my parents have not been there since they were teenagers, they did not have modern pictures that I could post.  Hope you guys will like what you see!

Haiti

(photographer unknown)

On Tuesday January 12, 2010 a powerful 7.0 earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The earthquake only lasted for 30 seconds, but in that short time, everything changed. The destruction was massive and unexpected. This was the most severe earthquake that Haiti has experienced in 200 years. But even if they had known of an impending earthquake that was going to be this severe, it would have been extremely hard for them, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, to adequately prepare for it. It has been estimated that most Haitians (~ 80%) only make two dollars a day. Imagine a country where ~80% of its people live below the poverty line. There is no way they could have planned adequately for this disaster.

Many were killed and injured during the earthquake. As of today (Wednesday January 13), the Haitian government believes that between 30-50,0000 of its people were killed in this devastating disaster. The hospital in Port-au-Prince was also destroyed which leaves many of its injured homeless and unable to access the kind of medical help they need. This is why there is an big need for volunteers and donations.  I myself have family in Haiti who, as of right now, I have not heard from.  I have no idea where they are, if they're ok, if they'll be safe.  I could not sit idly by and worry without doing anything.  This is why I am writing this post and working with Healing Hands.  This is also why I understand the need for volunteers and help.  I cannot be there, but I very much appreciate those who are...and those who give; Who gives their money, and most of all, their time.

There are many non-profit organizations working round the clock to organize relief for Haiti. One of these is Healing Hands for Haiti. Healing Hands for Haiti has been providing help since 1998 and now, in Haiti’s ultimate need for help, they are doing even more to provide and comfort. They are a company that originates from Salt Lake City Utah. They can be contacted at healinghandsforhaiti.com. The best donation right now is money because it can reach them much faster than anything else. Also, because no one has any idea of all the things that Haiti would need considering that things are still in chaos. But anything anyone is able to provide would be very helpful. Mika, one of the owners of MIkarose clothing company is working with them to organize anykind of help they can provide. They are gathering supplies for a container that Helping Hands for Haiti is planning on shipping to Haiti this weekend. Please go to their website mikarose.com to find out more information.