We Are All Haitians

First of all, I want to thank Emily again for her article last week. We hope to hear more from her in the future.

I had originally planned to write a post with a theme similar to hers concerning the role of the priesthood in the Church. However, given the terrible events which happened this week in Haiti, I decided to alter my plans and dedicate today's post to encouraging you all to do what you can to help alleviate the suffering of millions of Haitians in what is most likely the worst humanitarian disaster since the tsunami in late 2004.

Whenever a significant international event occurs, I inevitably get e-mails and calls from family and friends curious to know what is really going on. I suppose that is something that comes naturally from working in international affairs, sort of like doctors having friends and family call them with medical questions. It is something I don't mind in the least. I take it as a compliment that others view my opinion on international issues to be valid.

Tuesday evening I learned of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Natural disasters occur yearly, often in those places we are less familiar with. Countries many have only heard of suffer calamities which affect the lives of thousands of people, and while we may feel some compassion for those in need, we rarely feel significantly affected by such events unless they touch us personally.

I've never personally worked or even been to Haiti. I know some Haitians, though none very well. Yet, as I began to look more and more into the situation, my heart went out to the Haitians. Humanitarian assistance and response to crisis makes up a significant part of my work, and all the indicators show that the the situation in Haiti is particularly dire.

Tens of thousands died in the initial quake. Many more continue to die from trauma suffered during the earthquake. Many thousands more will likely die from starvation, thirst, and worst of all, disease, which will inevitably ravage the country in the aftermath of the disaster. Even with all the efforts of the international world to prevent such losses, it is not a matter of if more will die, but a matter of how many more will die.

Over three million people were directly affected by the quake. That is nearly 1/3 of the entire nation of Haiti. In essence, the Haitians have lost their country.

In recent months, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came out with an official statement which put “caring for the poor and needy” at the forefront of the mission of the church as an organization. While the Mormons have long provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, officially inserting this objective into their organizational mission statement indicates how it is not only something that Mormons should do on the side, but that it should be a fundamental part of their worship.

The Book of Mormon teaches: “...are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have...?” (See Mosiah 4:19)

It often feels that there is little we can do at times like these. We may feel compassion towards those who have lost so much, yet not know what we can do to help.

Luckily, there are plenty of organizations whose mandate is to deal with situations like these. LDS Humanitarian Services, the humanitarian aid wing of the Church, is already on the scene, distributing much needed hygiene kits and supplies for infants and children. They have proved their meddle in the past to deal with such situations, and if you are looking for a legitimate organization to whom you can provide assistance, they are worth a look. Truly, hygiene kits will be priceless as infectious diseases begin to set in. They cost very little, but a single kit could very easily save a life. To donate click here.

The Mormons are certainly not the only ones on the scene who are providing needed help. All aid organizations are on the same team. Below is a list of additional organizations which are also trustworthy, effective, and accountable which are all providing aid to the earthquake victims. Their links are included below. If you have other good organizations you would like to suggest, feel free to put them in the comments section.

Oxfam International
The American Red Cross
Catholic Relief Services
CARE
Save the Children

At a time like this, I hope we can all put our effort forward to make some difference. To paraphrase the words of King Benjamin, “are we not all Haitians?”

P.S. I learned that my dad's cousin, Carol Smith, was in Haiti at the time of the crisis working in an orphanage. She is an experienced ER nurse, and was lucky to survive the quake. To learn more about her experience, click here.