though it's been about a week since the 7.0 earthquake hit haiti, and i've been meaning to donate money to the redcross the moment i saw michelle obama's video on youtube, it is only about an hour ago that i sent my donation to catholic relief services. i was tired of being lazy and being suspended on the line bordering indifference and compassion. i passed up my first chance to donate to the redcross when i first heard of the quake. then, i failed to donate the second time around at mass today when i had no cash to put in for the second collection. though i told myself, i would go to the atm and come back to church and drop off a donation, i failed to do so because it was already 6pm when i woke up from my nap, and i had to read and i didn't want to drive in the rain.
i kept telling myself this whole week that i should follow-up on the situation in haiti, but just like my failure to donate, i also failed to educate myself. it was not until i went to mass and was completely moved by father john francis' homily that i felt the urgency to know what was going on in haiti.
news articles state how people are dying from lack of water and food in haiti because aid isn't getting to the people fast enough. the estimated death count is 50,000 people and counting. people are suffering and while some go to church to find relief, others seek relief as they break into shops at a better chance to get food. while thousands continue to cry out for help, nobody responds. things don't seem to change, but we can make a difference.
i know most of us don't have any influence on how the U.S. is transporting supplies to haiti. i know we don't have a direct say in how fast relief funds can make use of our donations, but if through our actions, we can push organizations to have no choice but to move faster with an overflow of donations. if everyone voices out their concerns for those who suffer. if we share information about how what's going on in the world and how it works, maybe just maybe, we can make a difference. i urge to show your concern by just thinking about this world issue. if you care enough to even make a contribution, please do so. CNN has this site where you can choose from a bunch of relief funds for haiti, so you know where you money is really going towards. please check it out and help to make an "impact":
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/?iref=allsearch
We all have different talents and we can all help in different ways. Whether it be monetary or not, we can make a difference. Let your voice be heard not just by what you say, but by your actions. As Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit," (1 Corinthians 12: 4).
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