A tragedy has a way of bringing people together, strangers working with each other to help people in need. The Haitian people are showing the world their steadfast strength in a deplorable situation they are making the best of a situation which has an uncertain future. The Haitian people had very little before the earthquake, now they have even less. The human spirit of the Haitian people will not be extinguished. They are a loving people, who have been dealt more than their share of national tragedies in recent history.

What would it take, for you to dedicate the rest of your life to a charity? Having a tragedy like the one in Haiti is inspiring millions of us to want to do something. Half of us say we will give money to help the cause. It is a much-needed resource, which will provide revenue to purchase necessary life saving essentials. Most of us are torn by not being to be able to do something first hand. Some of us will do something life changing about it. Most of us will not. It usually takes an event, a big event, for people to decide to dedicate their life to charity work. Will this be that event for you? What will you witness out of this tragedy that will reach your very core? The images and voices you witnessed on TV were those of a person crying out to you. Start that journey of living a life of doing for those in need today. This is your starting line.

We see them on TV doing heroic feats; few of us would be capable of doing. Crawling into unsafe buildings after an earthquake, rushing into a smoke filled home to rescue someone trapped inside. The search and rescue work in Haiti is dangerous work, but there they are again, risking their lives to save others. We owe them all of our respect even when we are not the one being rescued. They are there when we need them. It gives us comfort to be able to go about our day knowing they are there for us. Think about how fortunate we are to have someone willing to put his or her lives on the line for us. A million thanks to our first responders. 

Seeing the various charitable organizations in Haiti, one thing comes to mind. There are so many college age kids and older, giving of their time to help others. This generation is very caring. They get involved in so many ways. The internet can create wonderful possibilities. The world has become much smaller than it was just a generation ago. Kids from the United States are literally spread all throughout the world as they learn of human suffering and how they can help to alleviate some of that suffering. They know of parts of the world where their skills are needed. As I travel to colleges, I see lots of this on their campuses; they are involved in issues in which they feel passionate. Kids from the United States are showing the world how noble of a nation we are.

Seeing the images on TV, of all the devastation on this island nation, it makes you realize how much these people are going to need the rest of the world. They are isolated on an island with such poverty that they are more or less helpless. So much damage to property, so much injury …so much need for assistance. The people of Haiti need us. Please be generous.