WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT HAITI??

.....Haiti is on my heart and mind today like it probably is for almost every other person I know. And we feel stuck.

A Haitian child carries food at a refuge camp in Port-au-Prince.

.....I'm not unique in the feeling of what can I possibly do from here? I see a few options.

A woman walks among the debris in Port-au-Prince surveying the wreckage.

About a third of Haiti's population, or 3 million people have been affected by the earthquake.

Curl up into the fetal postition and curse God and wonder how things can go to Hell in a hand basket.

Obsess with worry and fear and helplessness.

Not think about it at all because I can't see it from my house.

Do something.

I think you just might know me well enough by now to know where I land.

But what can any of us do when we are sitting over here in our warm houses in front of a computer with our beverage of choice nearby and our healthy kids playing in the next room? (Insert your life's details into that question.)

A couple of things. Really. There are a couple of things you can actually do.

First and foremost, pray. .....Pray for the parents looking for children and children looking for parents. Pray for help to make it there. Pray for all those who want to help to work well together, not making things worse by stirring up the chaos.

Haitian worshipers pray Sunday morning outside the destroyed cathedral

of Port-au-Prince.

Give. I know things are tight, but you know what? That's just an excuse. Do you realize how far our money could go if we all gave ten bucks today? I'm not kidding. Just don't have three of your fancy coffees this month...you'll be fine. And, if you're wondering who to give to, here are two trustworthy options: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ & http://www.redcross.org/.

Young earthquake victims sleep without shelter.

(An aside: today is not the day to start the debate up of why should we help all of the way over there when people are hurting right here. If that's your opinion, then give ten bucks to the Salvation Army down the street and ten bucks to help Haiti. People are people.)

Do. Do what? What can you do from here, really?

• Spread the word. Use Twitter, Facebook, your blog, email. Just pick a solid organization that is trying to do something and then tell everyone you know to support it.
• Go on with your life. I don't mean this with a cavalier attitude. I mean cook your family good meal tonight, with gratitude. Hug your kids a bit longer. Cuddle with them on the couch and watch their favorite show. Color a picture with them. Play a game with your family. Call your mom or your kids or your sister or your best friend and tell them you love them. 

I'm serious. Let moments like this that can rock our world, no pun intended, do just that. Let them remind you that life is short and tough, but we can love and hope and pray.

Tents and other temporary shelters cover a stadium surface in Loagan, Haiti, on Sunday, January 17th.

Okay, stop reading now. Go take one little action. And say a prayer.

(c) Elisabeth IK. Corcoran, 2010

Though the above words are not mine, they could be. Elisabeth is speaking what I've been thinking and speaking these last several days, only she does it so much better than I ever could. And, she got me to post on my blog about Haiti.
Praise God and thank God for Elisabeth Corcoran.
(I subscribe to http://www.crosswalk.com/ and that is where I read Ms. Corcoran's words.)

God bless you, all of my readers.
Jan