The Rains are Coming.

Maybe you've been following the ongoing devastation in Haiti, maybe you haven't... but in brief here it is. A new disaster is on it's way for Haiti. It's the rainy season. Many of the temporary camps housing hundreds of thousands of people have already been flooded out after only a couple of hours of rain. But it's only the beginning. With the rains, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the spread of disease. Those who are still in the process of healing are in particular danger.

The actor Sean Penn, along with a woman named Diana Jenkins have started a relief organization and effort to relocate these at risk tent communities as quickly as possible to lessen the effects the rainy season will have on these quake victims.

Although I haven't been a fan of Penn's liberal politics, I am VERY impressed with what I have seen of his organization. You can check it out for yourself here and see what you think.

Not long after the quake Penn was interviewed by Campbell Brown on CNN...

CAMPBELL BROWN: Let me ask you, it's been a month since the earthquake, I mean, first struck. In your mind right now, given what you've seen, what do you think the most pressing concern is?

SEAN PENN: The rain. When the rain comes, it's going to be a public health disaster. They could easily be on the scale of the earthquake itself. Disease is spreading already, tuberculosis, typhoid, tetanus, malaria. The place, you know, which already had incredible hygiene problems within the neighborhoods, now with the earthquake, this is a new disaster waiting to happen.

He was interviewed again tonight by (one of my favorites) Anderson Cooper, speaking from Haiti Penn again reiterated the presssing need for immediate relocation. Sadly politcs seem to be standing in the way and much of the good that was done early on after the quake is being undone by the rains and the petty squabbles of governmental employees.

I don't mean to rant. But I do. I can get easily frustrated by these things. I hate when real people, in desperate need, are treated as pawns in the career advancements of those who are, by all apearances, living a rather sheltered life... I want to go and knock a few heads, tell them to get over themselves and relocate these people already. Worry about more permanent solutions when the immediate dangers are resolved.

Instead I will pray. I pray that God holds back the rain until they are able to relocate. I pray that miraculously and surprisingly the spread of these diseases is stopped. I pray for quick healing for those that are recovering from major surgeries and illnesses. I pray that God prompts those in authority to do what is right for these people. I pray that those with actual giftings in administration will be in place to actively, quickly and effectively moderate the relocation of these at risk tent cities... and further still the rebuilding of homes, hospitals, schools and businesses in Haiti.

Won't you pray this with me?

The Handsome Men's Club

Oh Jimmy, you make me smile!

The Red Cross are making me cross!!

Where in Haiti is the Red Cross? ... They have now surpassed the $100 million mark in Aid money/pledges for Haiti, but they don't seem to have a presence there... No visibility on any news stations... and some very evasive answers on the BBC as to how that money is being spent. How can we hold them accountable??!!

Newsnight discovered that two years after the tsunami disaster, billions of pounds were sitting unused in Red Cross bank accounts. No joke, here's a link to the video.
Really no laughing matter.

I know they have some people there setting up tents etc... but their presence, when compared with the finances and manpower behind them, is sadly lacking.

Most of this seems due to TERRIBLE organizational skills, policies and red tape.

Perhaps I am biased... My Mother, a nurse/midwife who worked for the Red Cross in Africa, has a plethora of stories of the Red Cross administration's blunders and their poor understanding of what is actually essential in a Crisis.

While working in Africa, and desperately needing medicines and food, they were sent boxes and boxes of tinned food, with no can opener. To aid her in her work the Red Cross "generously" provided her, and those on her team with a kit, no larger than a small make up bag, in order to provide medical care for the people she met... it included bandages (small plasters) a small pair of scissors, and some aspirin... BUT they were given many stickers and badges so that they and their vehicles could be clearly marked.
There were even fur coats generously donated to the African people, who neither needed nor wanted them. That, I'm afraid, is just the tip of the iceburg!

It seems that those "on the ground" working for the Red Cross are talented, caring people who really do want to do all that they can, but the organization of this talent and the provisions given them are so limited it that they are severely inhibited.

I would include Unicef in this rant... they seem to be not much better at the moment... but I have less information on them so maybe I'll save it for later :D
BUT I do pray that there will be more accountability for this organization (and others like them). That they won't withold much needed aid. That the organization will soon be run by capable, level headed, sensible people that really do care more about others than they care about themselves.

HOWEVER.. I do still recommend to you Doctors Without Borders... despite their supply planes continuously being turned away from the Port-au-Prince airport, they have already done thousands of surgeries... even though forced to buy a saw (locally) they are doing what they can! Check out this video from Amanpour... you can hear their frustration... tinged with a tiny bit of joy in what they have been able to accomplish despite these ridiculously terrible conditions.

UPDATE

At about 3 am... my usual time to be wide awake and wondering what to do with myself... I was watching CNN and the reporter on the ground there in Haiti was talking about the difficulty some of the Aid Organizations are having with communication and also with distribution of aid.

HOWEVER...

He went on to say that "a faith based NGO called WORLD VISION" seemed to have a well developed system, and seemed to not only be highly effective in reaching out with aid to masses of people, but that they seemed the most organized and the people receiving aid from them were much more calm and orderly than at other sites.

SO KUDOS to World Vision. for getting the job done!

LET ME ADD, Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta have sealed their positions in my book of heros this week!! He's a clip of Anderson being BRILLIANT as per usual... and another of Sanjay equally if not more brilliant.

It's heartbreaking.

I know I have nothing new to say that can make a person decide whether to do something to help out in Haiti or not. I'm not George Clooney, so I can't hold a telethon with my A-lister friends... I'm not a celebrity of any sort, so if I say I would send you a personalized video you wouldn't care.

If you want to do something, you probably will and if you don't ... well no matter what I say you probably won't.

BUT I like to think, that my friends and people that may or may not randomly visit this blog are also the kind of people that WOULD want to do something. SO, in order to make it easier for you, here are a few links to help you to give, support or go.

1. They are in desperate need of clean safe drinking water...Filterpure Water for life

2. I always appreciate how quickly World Vision mobilizes - World Vision Email

3. Doctors Without Borders seem to be Johnny on the Spot, I haven't donated through them before, but there are several people I respect very much who are big fans.

Doctors Without Borders

If you're wondering what to pray for... other than the obvious... The Port at Port-au-Prince was severely damaged, so that although aid is coming in... getting off boats is near impossible... air is the best option, but of course makes for more complications and large cargo planes can't deliver what a cargo ship can. So pray that much needed supplies can actually reach them.

Pray also that the false rumours that are driving people away from their homes, leading to looting will be stopped. Pray that God will give them peace and help them to discern the truth.

1. The situation in Haiti is catastrophic, and Filtepure is responding with clean water. We have heard from our group in Haiti and they are asking for filters. They say this... "Roman, Lubens, Paul Emanuel, Jean claude and families and Seb MP and I all OK. schmiliguen and Rony are in south away from earthquake. nobody hurt at MSH. no internet at house, house cracked but standing. Tell Charles. Roman couldn't get into factory this morning - we will try again this aftn to see if there are any intact ceramic filters we can distribute. Situation is chaotic, terrible number of deaths and severe injuries. Almost all medical supplies are gone, some people already out of water and food and many will be shortly. Pressure your government to get aid in here quickly."
2. "The need is staggering and the situation is getting worse. I see heart-breaking scenes of devastation and need all around me. Children without parents. Parents with injured children. And virtually no way to make them safe or well.
We need your help now—while the Canadian Government will match your donation!

Those who survived the quake need help urgently—food, water, shelter and more. Please give now. (AP)
One of our staff, Willard Metzger, was staying in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit. His hotel quickly became a makeshift hospital.
"Desperate parents tug on our shirts to help their children, but we are only guests here. We're not doctors. But we have bedsheets which we use as bandages. So we are the only ones to give them hope." "

3. "Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical teams in Port-au-Prince have been treating very large numbers of people who come to them with fractures, head injuries and other major trauma from the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti’s capital on Jan. 12. Well over a thousand patients been through the four tented facilities that MSF has set up near the damaged buildings that it used to work in.
The main concern at the moment from the medical staff in those clinics is that the need for wound treatment and major surgery is overwhelming. One of the teams is moving into the major public hospital in the district of Cité Soleil, where MSF has worked previously. There is an operating theatre in that hospital, which will help the team cope with some of those cases. "

Auto-Tune the News #9: Nobel. health care. United Nations.

Jesus Makes Me Look Good

I'm a fraud. At least that's how I feel right now. I was visiting a website that a friend of mine suggested... http://andrewkooman.com . She thought I might be interested in his writing and what he is doing with his life as many of the things are what I claim to be passionate about. Civil liberty and freedom. Abolition of modern slavery. True religion, taking care of widows and orphans in their affliction. When I say that I am thinking very specifically about some of those my brother David visited and lived amongst when he was with Hands at Work in Africa this year.
I do care... but there is still a great part of me that is loathe to give up the life I have here.
It is not that it's perfect, in fact there are many things I would change in a heart beat. But I have a job that I enjoy, and love to see the ways some of the children in the school are growing in the knowledge and understanding of God's love for them. I am close to my family. I enjoy close friendships. I have a comfortable little nook in the basement of my parents home... not everyone's dream I know, but the rent is cheap and the company is fantastic :D

It is an easy life.
But I am not certain it is the abundant life that Christ has called me to. I know there are times when I felt really alive. When I knew without a shadow of a doubt I was just where God wanted me, doing just what he wanted me to do. They were exciting times. Fearless times. Times when Jesus had the reigns on what I did and when I did it.

If I were to recount some of the stories... and I do, especially to my students. I come out sounding very brave... very godly even... But here's the thing - It wasn't really me. It was Jesus. Just when I was at my least capable He took over. I'm very grateful He did because I got to experience with Him some extraordinary things. I learned things from Him with words that came out of my own mouth. Wise things that made me look very clever. But they were not my own.

I love that kind of life, so I am not sure what keeps me from living it every day. I love that Jesus makes me look good. I know the way I would act if it were just up to me. In fact I have done too much of that kind of living in the last year. I have done too much 'giving up in the face of adversity'. I have done too much 'how can I do just enough to look like I'm still giving my all to Jesus, while still maintaining some control of my actions, words and thought life'. I have done too much talking. I want to go back to letting Jesus do it.
So that is my pray for this year... I was tempted to call it my new years resolution, but then we'd be right back to what I am going to do. So my pray for this new year is... that He might increase and I might decrease. That I will go with Him wherever He wants me to. That I will do less talking to others and more walking and talking with Him. I pray that I might do all this through Christ Jesus who strengthens me!

NOW... Here's to an exciting AD 2010... and the rememberence that it is THE YEAR OF OUR LORD...