Sunday, January 17, 2010

Haiti

It is really hard to imagine the pain, death and destruction that is occurring down in Haiti.  It breaks my heart to see this unfold.  Families unsure if their loved ones are alive, children who can't find their parents.  Volunteers who are trying to help, but are still unable to do as much as they need to.  It is just horrible.  My heart and prayers go to these people!
This week I made a donation on the Red Cross website, and because it was overloaded, I never received my confirmation email.  Well, I did it again and then wound up giving twice.  I was kind of feeling like a tool, because part of me knew that I didn't budget for one donation, let alone two.  I would soon figure it out.  Not long after this discovery yesterday, I was in the break room at work.  The tv was set to CNN and they were showing stories from Haiti.  A co-worker of mine started talking about how she "is so tired of hearing about all of this"  that "we don't need to be giving all of this money to them"  "they are a communist country and we don't need to be giving our money to them...." she thinks that every other country should help before we jump in.  At first I thought she was joking...then I realized she was serious.  I just looked at her and said "Umm...the last time I checked those were people who are dead and real families who are hurting....that is the important thing".  I was appalled at her beliefs.  I realized that everyone can think as they choose, I was just disgusted at her views.  I think that she should be embarrassed at her sense of inhumanity.  The kicker is that she likes to toot her "Christian Woman" horn fairly often.  PUKE!  At the end of the day we were leaving and there was a flyer about a fundraiser for Hati and in front of everyone else she said "oh, that is nice"  I know she was really thinking "NICE" as in oh great, here we go again.
After this encounter, I decided that because there are actually people in the world who DO NOT CARE, then I would find a way to fit my double donation into my budget.  I am going to pretend that I am forcing her to donate without her knowledge.  That will make me smile the next time I see her.  Thanks to her ranting, there will be a little more money to help out people who need it.

God Bless those people of Haiti and the Volunteers who are helping do all they can!!

2 comments:

KCSherri said...

I have been a disaster volunteer with the American Red Cross since Katrina in 2005...I've been all over the country on various disasters, where I've been part of some truly God-moments.

Speaking on behalf of the ARC, I want to thank you - for your donations, obviously - but more important, for your posting and for truly "getting it."

Your donations will be sent directly to Haiti to be used for the Haiti people - and the money will be "spent" in Haiti to kickstart their economy - a win/win for Haiti.

I had to do an interview today for our local news station, and I was asked by the reporter, "Why do people go there to help?" And I looked at him like he was crazy, and I said, "Why would we not?"

But for the grace of a few hundred miles, that could have been us....

Have a blessed day!
Sherri

AmyD said...

I love the way you turned it around in your head! It makes me think of the cancer 5K races where you can donate "in honor of" someone. I only wish there were a scrolling wall on the Red Cross website where the world could see a donation in honor of her. (Though I think that might be a little too self-riteous to be a good thing!) Way to go!