In the Face of Disaster
By some accounts, the 2010 Haiti Earthquake could end up being the worst natural disaster in modern history. I’m not sure exactly what metrics are used to measure the severity of a disaster, but I’m sure the highest would be in the cost of human life.
The response to this disaster has been overwhelming, at least at the outset, with the Red Cross reportedly raising over $5 million via text message donations alone (which has exceeded the total amount raised in this manner for all of last year). Highly visible and excruciatingly tragic events such as this always seem to amass a large amount of support very quickly.
Looking at the response and the outcry as it plays out in the media, and in online social networking sites has led me to wonder about myself, and my reactions to disaster. In an event of this magnitude, it seems almost natural to pray, and to give, and to support those who are trying to help. I find, however, in other situations, my response may not be as passionate and as natural as it should.
Every day, all around us, people are facing disaster in one way or another. Someone’s lost a home, lost a job, lost a spouse to divorce or an untimely death, lost a child, or lost hope. They’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness, or a potentially terminal illness, or they may have just given up on life. They are the discouraged, the broken, the downtrodden, the homeless, the jobless, and the friendless masses we walk by without noticing. They are not literally digging out of the rubble of a collapsed home or building brought down by an earthquake, but they have been similarly impacted. Their life has become a disaster.
But for them, there is no international relief organization on it’s way, no telethon, no fundraisers, no worldwide prayer vigil. Thinking about them today makes me almost feel powerless to help, because I know that there are so many in need, but so little time and resources at my disposal.
Doesn’t every disaster deserve a response? What can I, what can WE do in the face of disaster?
Tags: disaster, earthquake, haiti
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I look around me everyday and ask the question “what can I do” these people are about to perish, about to leave this world headed for the next and nothing that I say changes anything. I get to a point that I just have done and said everything that I can think of and then I realize that I an limited to what God does through me, I can’t really do anything.
And yes there are people on every side who are in desperate situations and again I am limited to what I can do, I really would like to help them. We walk by people and think “how sad” they really need help but we just keep walking, well maybe not everybody does but most people do. More people give during the holidays but people need help 24/7, 365 days a year. Where are the fund raisers for them??
What would we do if we were faced with the devastation of a natural disaster? There may be a time coming when we are. Could we ever really think ahead and be prepared, I don’t think so. I just know that we will not make it without God and I would not want to.
Good blog!
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