There are things in this life bigger than all of us– bigger than our daily personal struggles, bigger than our economic woes and even bigger than the upcoming 2010 presidential elections. My friends, it is the universal desire for the well-being and safety of our brothers and sisters around the world. Yes, that much-ridiculed and overly-used, Ms. Universe-like wish of “world peace”. Along with that is our ardent prayer that people be safe from harm.
Sometimes, in the rush and chaos of everyday existence and occupations, we forget that whatever differences, goals and priorities we have, there is one thing common to all of us — a shared appreciation to the one thread woven in all of humankind — that kind of strength to which any other strength — be it economic or military pales in comparison — it is the fortitude of the human heart — the enduring resilience of the human spirit.
The world, as I write this watch in shock at what now appears to be a patch of hell on earth as Haiti grieves for their dead — with the death toll feared to go as high as 500,000. Millions of people are needing help, most of the survivors decided to live on the streets for fear of aftershocks. What happened to Haiti last Tuesday, January 12, 2010 must shake us up out of complacency. If it can happen to them, it can happen to us.
There are two (2) things we share with Haiti — poverty and corruption. These two always go together — one resulting to the other, in an endless cycle of misery.
Haiti was unprepared for that 7.0 magnitude earthquake that is to come for a whole lot of reasons similar to us — corruption which resulted to structurally-flawed and unsafe buildings, poor delivery of basic services, poor disaster-preparedness and more.
We, like Haitians, are no strangers to disasters — political, economic and natural. And given our similarities with their current state, we can only cower in fear and pray earnestly that we do not suffer the same fate as theirs. most specially because compared to Haiti whose last experience with an earthquake was 200 years ago, the Philippines’ most devastating earthquake experience is still fresh in our minds some 20 years ago in 1990. We were unprepared then and I sure as hell can bet that two decades after, we remain unprepared.
My heart goes out to the people of Haiti who lost what little they have. To bear witness to such a tragedy, to be able to walk among the dead seem like a curse far worse than subsistence. While it can’t be argued that this 7.0 magnitude earthquake is a natural calamity, the number of casualties may have been limited if not totally avoided had there been early warning of an impending disaster which should have facilitated swift and orderly security of the residents. But then, maybe there’s no stopping nature. There is a reason for everything.
Whatever it is, only God knows.
If you have money to spare, please donate. No amount is so small to not make a difference, and no amount is too big for our Haitian brothers and sisters.
The easiest way to donate to Haiti online (through credit card) to the American Red Cross is through this Google checkout link on the Youtube video, right side. For the technophobes out there, don’t worry, it’s safe, tried it myself.
You can also opt to donate through the American Red Cross website or to Doctors Without Borders.
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On Pat Robertson’s Haiti “pact with the devil” blunder
For the record, I would like to express disappointment over what longtime TV evangelist Pat Robertson of the 700 Club said on air claiming that the Haitians made a “pact with the devil” hundreds of years ago, hence the curse and the earthquake. He further claims that Haitians did this to gain their freedom from the French. I think such a statement is not characteristic of an evangelist. This statement spits at the honor of Haitians who hold the distinction as the only country in the Western Hemisphere to undergo a successful slave revolution. If there was such a “pact”, who can attest to its authenticity? Who can judge? Such a statement only adds insult to injury. It is clearly judgmental and uncalled for.
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