How Can I help in Haiti?

The first time I heard about the earthquake in Haiti it was from an embarrassing source. A friend-of-a-friend on Facebook left her status as "Pray for Haiti." As I smugly assumed this person couldn't find Haiti on a map, I knew something big had just happened or else her mind would never be on Haiti. I quickly searched "Haiti" on Google to be flooded with horrifying and shocking headlines. "100,000 feared dead in deadly earthquake." "Port-Au-Prince leveled in disastrous earthquake." "

My immediate reaction was one of almost numbing shock. Of all of the places for a 7.0 earthquake to hit in the Western Hemisphere, Port-Au-Prince was probably one of the worst candidates. In the poorest highly populated area in the Americas, this disaster is of epic proportions. And since Haiti is relatively close to home, it is of great importance that we as a nation and people do everything we can to help these battered people.

Giving aid during a time of crisis is the least we, who have so much, can do. "The pain of others gives rise to a desire to help, to comfort," and this has never been truer than with the response to this most recent natural disaster (How Can I Hep? 56). It never seems to be a question of "if" we should help, but "how much." Often in our society to desire to help those less fortunate is brushed off with claims that the needy are just lazy or need to help themselves. But even the most disgruntled person could not overlook the pain and suffering going in Haiti as we speak. It is simply difficult to comprehend the magnitude of human agony being endured by such a large group of people.

In my daily life I would say I never truly keep the suffering of others on mind. I focus on my own stress and issues, and although Haiti is close geographically it is so very far removed from my own world. Like a particular anecdote in How Can I Help? states, "Still, I'd like to do more for others. What do I have to offer, and what would help the most? (How Can I Help? 11)."

The way I look at it, I can't control the economic standings of people in other parts of the world, let alone people in this country. Thus, I should never feel too guilty about my own lifestyle so long as it is not excessively luxurious or indulgent. But at the same time I can't ignore suffering. The disaster in Haiti was unavoidable and as a decent human being it is my priority to give something, anything, to help. Often times, people give aid and help for selfish reason: power, greed, and self esteem. But this should still not take away from the need for immediate action in situations like what is going on in Haiti. Aid is aid, and I know that somewhere in Haiti someone will appreciate the small amount of money (which is meaningless to me) I donated. Regardless of how this action makes me feel, if it is helping someone in need it can only be a good thing.