Haiti

I feel the need to create an additional post today in honor of Haiti.

Haiti has been a broken country for a long time now - politically, religiously, and now geographically.

Even though it is said that 80% of Haitians professed some sort of Christian faith, still over half the population also professed that they practice Haitian Voodoo, a religion that spawns from African Voodoo, but is also mixed with Roman Catholicism. It centers around admonition of the dead, but incorporates other aspects such as a head god in charge of other smaller gods.

Haiti has had major issues with it's government in recent years. With the return of Aristide to the presidency in 2000, Haiti's politics turned downhill. Aristide's campaign was marked with accusations of corruption, and in 2004, Aristide was thrown from his seat in what is known as the 2004 Haiti Rebellion. Brought on by rumors of election fraud, various murders, and Aristide's demands that France pay Haiti $21 billion US dollars, brought great public unrest. The US intervened and brought Aristide out of Haiti, though they were accused by Aristide himself of kidnapping the unpopular president. The United Nations sent in a peacekeeping force that has remained in Haiti to this day.

And not many in our generation will be able to forget the devastating earthquake loacted right ouside the capital Port-au-Prince on January 12th. Thousands have died, bodies line the streets, and are piled in makeshift cemetaries. The living search the piles and piles of dead, trying to find loved ones. Others are desperately still searching the rubble in hopes to find those close to them still alive. Many nations have sent relief groups, but that doesn't even come close to helping mend the grief that the Haitian people are feeling.

So why does something like this happen to a country already broken? We cannot tell. there is no logical explaination. All we know is that God is out there, and God will help the people of Haiti. Knowing that God does everything for a reason is slightly comforting right now, but at the same time, we still have to ask the question why? Is it because they need to see the need of a savior? Is this a possible Sodom and Gomorah lesson for Haiti? We can't tell, because we can't see into the future.

There are many organizations that are in Haiti right now helping. Here are a few of them. Click on their names to be directed to their websites:

World Vision
Samaratin's Purse
Google
Help Haiti Now
NY Daily News (Lots of other Links to websites with information)

I don't care if you don't have lots of money to help out. A donation of 5 dollars feeds people in impoverished Africa for days at a time. Think now what $5 can do for those who just lost everything but the small scraps of torn clothing on their backs. I know donating to large organizations can seem unpersonalized, but does that matter? If we're really truely helping, do we NEED to get credit for everything we do? Do we NEED people to see us donating money?

Please pray and give what you can. Haiti needs us right now, and we need Haiti.