My Comments on Aid to Haiti

Yesterday I posted a blog by minister James Ford with a list of aid resources for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. This morning I received a number of comments basically stating we should concentrate our aid efforts here in the United states instead. Although I understand the thoughts behind those comments, I DO NOT AGREE.

I posted this short note to Facebook just now:

Here are some organizations listed by Bread for the World.

http://www.bread.org/learn/global-hunger-issues/how-to-help-in-haiti.html?utm_source=otheremail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=haiti

Although I understand and wholeheartedly agree that we have to focus on devastating problems in our own country, I also feel it is very short-sighted and nationally arrogant to use that argument against doing whatever we can possibly do for PEOPLE in other countries, especially those countries as poor as Haiti. Quoting from the above article,

"As the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Haiti has the highest rates of mortality for mothers, infants, and children under 5. Sixty percent of the population lacks access to basic health-care services. Most Haitians survive on less than $2 a day and depend on remittances from relatives in other countries to meet their basic needs -- remittances that have plummeted with the global recession. Even in the capital of Port-au-Prince, impoverished communities have few resources to cope with the acute impacts of this disaster."

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world. IMHO, there is absolutely no reason, other than political and economic short-sightedness and greed, that there is such a wide gap between the rich and the poor here. But, we rest in our comfort, assured that SOMEONE ELSE will take care of things. I could go on and on, but the soapbox is too small for what I would say.

In the meantime, more than 100,000 people have died in Haiti and over 3 million people, more than a third of the population, has been affected in some way.