The Devastation of Haiti

On January 12, 2010, the history of Haiti, a small republic which is located in the Caribbean basin, changed forever. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake destroyed buildings, homes, and approximately 150,000 people. It's the worst quake Haiti has seen in over a century. the US geological survey reported, "it was centered about 10miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince. Some witnesses even reported it being felt in Cuba, nearly 200 miles away.
Mike Godfrey, an american contractor, stated that as soon as the quake hit, a thick blanket of dust covered the city for 20 minutes. This could have prevented many people from finding loved ones or even trying to get to whatever was left of a hospital, let alone being blocked in by all the shrapnel. Many buildings were completely destroyed including the president's residence and a hospital. Houses were just completely devastated as far as the eye could see.
Frank Williams, the Haitian director of the relief agency World Vision International, claimed that the agency building shook for over half a minute. This created utter fear in anyone in that building. I'm sure this horror could have been compared to the ones near the top of the world trade centers when they were coming down. Ambassador Raymond Joseph stated "it is a catastrophe of major proportions."
Such a catastrophe makes many people think about their lives, knowing that God can take it from us anytime he wants. It's said in the Bible that not all things are good, but all things work for the good. Some good can come out of this, as weird as it may seem. Some celebrities are pitching in their help by doing various things for the country. Tiger Woods donated a cargo plane to get relief to the troubled city of Port-au-Prince. Oprah Winfrey asked viewers to donate to the Red Cross. "This is a time where we, as a global nation, should come together and support those who are in need," Winfrey said. Usher is also involved with the recovery. "I am devastated by the news in Haiti and am calling for youth worldwide to support and offer assistance to the millions of people in that area that are in dire need. I am currently working with Usher's New Look, my nonprofit organization, to figure out the most effective means of help," Usher said. They all urge young people to help out this country in dire need.
So what can you every-day American do to help? One thing you can do is donate money and supplies to the Red Cross. They will use it in the best way possible to help out the survivors. There is a foundation from Wyclef called Yele. By quickly mobilizing a text message campaign, this allows people to donate $5 by texting the word "Yele" to 501501. But the most useful thing that everyone can do is pray. Nobody can help the poor people in Haiti better than the Lord. Everything is in his hands. He chooses the fate of everyone in this world. He tells us "to love your neighbor as you love yourself." Haiti is our neighbor and we must do everything we possibly can to keep this little country alive.