Last week saw one of the most devastating earthquakes in recent history. The island which is home to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic was hit with a magnitude 7 earthquake just west of Port-au-Prince. Photos show a scale of destruction reminiscent of war. Indeed, today I read the body count of those recovered and given burial has reached over 40,000 and expectations are for that number to reach over 100,000 dead. Something like this causes our own family and local situations to pale in comparison.
Shelley and I have received some generous donations to help us defray the medical costs incurred by Sam’s recent surgery. Most recently Sam had another visit to the pediatric GI specialist and we found out Sam needs to see a specialist in either Wisconsin or Ohio for some specialized tests that can’t be done in Spokane. Wow, that should run up the bills but how does it compare to Haiti?
In addition, Sam recently saw a dentist that specializes in Autistic children. Shelley walked away with a $4,000 estimate to repair cavities. Holy Cow! Evidently his teeth are a minefield of holes. So a new strain will be put on our pocketbook, a huge one we’d not anticipated. Sam hardly eats anything sugary but that doesn’t mean anything. But let’s put this into a perspective taking Haiti into consideration.
Entire buildings have collapsed in Haiti, trapping or killing anyone inside. The major sea port entry into Haiti has been shaken and is currently impassable, goods can’t be brought in very easily. Family members are dead or dying, bodies are piling up, food is becoming scarce, there isn’t any shelter, chaos is beginning to reign and the criminal element is taking over. The need there, is very great. What can we do?
The United States Administration, as the U.S. has done so often in the past, has already pledged material and personnel to support operational missions to Haiti for search, rescue, recovery and other assistance. I can’t say I know how it’s all playing out but if the right leadership is in place a lot of good can be done quickly. One of the first things done was to open access to the airport.
With the airport open and controlled by the Air Force, the major emergency organizations are able to get people and supplies on the ground. The Red Cross, Salvation Army, Unicef, etc. all can push support into the area. This is key. In addition, the military can shuttle trucks and other mobility resources to assist in the distribution of material. Next, naval and civilian resources need to clear the harbor so ships can get in.
At least one dock system within the harbor needs to be cleared so that ships can dock and offload supplies. I’ve heard the waters have been inundated with debris shifted off the docks during the earthquake. This is another job for the military, to clear an area so if nothing else, one ship at a time can get in, offload and get out. The flow of material is critical with a devastation this large. Both the airport and the sea port illustrate the need for the government of Haiti to institute a quasi-marshall law structure that would allow directed military leaders to help control the country and assist those other resources in distributing what’s needed to the public.
After three days of chaos, the criminal element will reign. The hoodlums will start hoarding food and try to sell it in a black market economy. People genuinely in need will be denied by those in power. This is where the military needs to step in, with an authority from the local government to subdue the criminal element and protect the missionaries, the Red Cross and other organizations who are there to help the people. The resources need to reach those in need. Even then, there are those still trapped, but it’s been a long time now.
There may not be much hope to find anyone else alive. There have been other natural disasters where people have survived several days trapped. There is always a little hope and efforts need to continue to find those still alive and free them. There is much rubble to sift through, to remove, and to rebuild. And that sums it up, the entire need that makes my troubles a small grain of sand on a larger beach.
Even within this poor economic time, people will and are giving. It would not surprise me to know even some of those unemployed are giving just a little if they can. This is our nature, that of the United States of America. We see our friends in need and we try to help, and we do. So if you feel compelled to give, please do. Choose your favorite organization, please consider the Red Cross. I know many charities are leveraging this disaster to try and raise money, but it is my feeling your money is best served by giving to the Red Cross. They’ve been in this business for decades and know what to do.
I don’t care what your political affiliation is, please give to The Red Cross. God bless you for your efforts.
Asa Jay
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