Earthquake in Haiti
The first thing I heard this morning when turning NPR on the way to work was the story about the 
7.0 magnitude earthquake that had struck the tiny country of Haiti overnight. As of this writing, the total scope of the destruction is unknown, but from what we do know, the destruction is on a great scale. Communications are still down, but the death toll is expected to be very high.
I am providing a link to some of the images that are on a couple of websites, but I need to warn you up front. Some of these images are disturbing, as they show some of the terrible destruction and death this earthquake has left in it’s wake. It is indeed troubling to see the number of people who have been killed, injured, or left completely homeless and helpless.
There are already relief efforts on the way and in progress. If you feel you can help, these people are going to need all the help they can get. Please visit WordJourney Magazine for more information. Matt Keegan has numerous links to the relief organizations that already making the move to help the people of Haiti. Dominique at 4Walls and A View has a very unique perspective that will be well worth your time to read as well. I think she outdid herself with her latest post about her illness and the tragedy in Haiti.
UPDATE: Just a quick update, but the latest news coming out of Haiti says hundreds of thousands of people may have died. Prisons have collapsed and the inmates have escaped. It seems the magnitude of this disaster gets bigger with every passing hour.
Thank you for sharing that information with your readers, Larry.
News is still coming in, but it will turn out to be a devastating quake, perhaps with tens of thousands of people dead, many more injured, and untold numbers homeless.
I cannot imagine how bad things must be there…let’s pray for mercy and relief.
Matt Keegan´s last blog ..Haiti Earthquake Relief
This is certainly an enormous disaster and I know all our prayers are with the people of Haiti. Matt’s site listing various relief agencies is a terrific and timely resource and I hope a lot of people will find the time and money to make a contribution to the rescue efforts.
As a cynical aside, I wonder how long it will take Sean Hannity and company to see in Haiti Obama’s Katrina moment and find fault with his response. Anybody want to take the other side of that wager?
I wouldn’t touch that wager, but if they do, they need to have their mouths washed out with soap. I would put something like that on the same level as the criticism Bush received about his response to Katrina.
My prayers are with the Haitians.
Pat Robertson’s? Not so much. Speaking of needing his mouth washed out with soap, do check out his assesment of “why”.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.pat.robertson/index.html
For contrast, do check out what the heathen Bill Clinton is saying, doing and encouraging.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.aid.response/index.html
While Robertson’s comment was not appropriate, whether it is in context I don’t know. I wasn’t there. As for Bill Clinton, good for him.
Dominique´s last blog ..Running into PERSPECTIVE
“Context”, Dominique?
That’s exactly why I posted a link and didn’t just pull the quote. And what possible context could justify Robertson’s continuing to portray God’s actions as on par with that of a vengeful, spiteful terrorist?
You called it, Mike. And it didn’t take long.
“On his radio show yesterday Limbaugh said the earthquake in Haiti will play right into Obama’s hands by allowing him to play up his “compassionate” and “humanitarian” credentials, and that the President will use this crisis to “boost his credibility with the black community.””
That would have been a great over/under bet. This kind of stuff can easily be passed off as bloviating from the right wing screamers etc. Unfortuntately, we all know that the GOP bows and scrapes to Rush (which means they take him seriously).
Conservatives, though, should know better than to treat these wealthy entertainers as serious voices, right? Wrong. CPAC has announced their keynote speaker for this year’s national convention. And they chose the spiritual head of the Tea Party, Glenn Beck.
That would have been a great over/under bet. This kind of stuff can easily be passed off as bloviating from the right wing screamers etc. Unfortunately, we all know that the GOP bows and scrapes to Rush (which means they take him seriously).
really? Sounds like someone else is bloviating to me.
I think conservatives have enough wisdom and discernment to determine what they feel is right or wrong, despite who the speaker is. That sounded an awful lot like left wing ranting to me, Laurie
It is said that a picture is worth a thousands words. Those photos spoke more than anything any of us could write or say. My Gosh my heart just breaks for the incredible pain, grief, and loss these people are suffering.
For me there was this eerie similarity to 9-11.
I agree with Matt and Mike. I pray for God’s mercy, provision, love, and peace for these people. May be people of the world come together and offer assistance and comfort.
Just checking but isn’t Port au Prince a tourist destination?
Dominique´s last blog ..The Spoon Theory
I feel the loss of life in Haiti will be great. American aid will flow in and much of it will line the pockets of corrupt politican on that poor island nation. Millions of dollars and thousand of tons of relief supplies will come from the United States and after this event is over the world will continue to tell everyone how evil our country is. And when that future event comes American will again led the way.
Ron Russell´s last blog .."It’s The People’s Seat"
A practical cynicism, parts of which are hard to argue with.
Charity charity should never be offered with an expectation of increased esteem in anybody’s eyes, nor should it be withheld because of the certainty that it won’t. That said, if you’re going to donate be very careful about which organization you choose.
When I donate, after it leaves my wallet, whatever happens to it is between the recipient and God.
Dominique´s last blog ..Running into PERSPECTIVE
I feel for the people of Haiti. My question is, where was the help before the earthquake? Why did it take something like this before help arrived? It seems to me that something as fundamental as construction could have been addressed decades ago. I know its more complicated than that, but…frustrating to see.
rjjrdq´s last blog ..California Attacks Smoking Alternatives
Hi Larry,
I updated Word Journey this morning to reflect the responses of three Christian organizations who are at work in Haiti.
Samaritan’s Purse, Global Aid Network, and Compassion International are responding as are many government and non-government organizations.
I am glad to see President Obama respond swiftly and I know other world leaders are responding in kind. The first 72 hours after a disaster are critical; let’s pray that many lives can still be saved.
Blessings,
Matt
You’re doing a great job keeping on top of all of this, Matt!
Dominique´s last blog ..Running into PERSPECTIVE
Laurie, I can’t respond above so I will do it here. You think CNN put that quote in context? I don’t. I wasn’t there so I don’t exactly what he said, why, what the context of the theological discussion was. So no, I can’t say it is in context. If I haven’t learned anything from reading Going Rogue, is the media rarely gets context right.
Dominique´s last blog ..Running into PERSPECTIVE
Yes, Dominique, I do beleive that the context and the quotes from CNN was accurate. It was on his broadcast. Jusdge for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBCPRqqURZM
If there’s anything I learned from reading Going Rogue it’s that I should never, ever waste my time reading a book by Sarah Palin again. I am genuinely thrilled that Palin has landed this gig on FoxNews so we can begin to hear from her again speaking off script (it won’t happen often but it will happen) and perhaps her heartfelt supporters will learn just how thin her grasp of the issues truly is. At least there will be a nice record of bloopers and subsequent clarifications — though I suppose we’re already on Volume 4.
BTW Laurie, I never said YOU took it out of context, just that I didn’t know if it was in context.
Dominique´s last blog ..Running into PERSPECTIVE
Well, I have to say that I didn’t expect the comments on this article to take such a turn. I wanted the article to be a source of information about this terrible tragedy and not so partisan in nature. Maybe I should just delete most of the comments and start over.
For the record, Rush Limbaugh does not speak for me and neither does Pat Robertson.
Larry,
A follow up. Some not-so-shocking but very distrubing video shows UN troops picking up aid from a station and returning it to the warehouse, leaving throngs of needy in their wake. Ick. Couldn’t find the video anywhere but MSNBC’s Olbermann. But liberal screamer or not, he tells the story.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35069223