The Quake That Wakes The World

By now almost everyone has heard of the devastation caused on January 12, 2010 by the earthquake in Haiti.  The last reported news stated that the death toll was somewhere near 500,000 and counting.  That’s half a million people dead from a 7.0 Richter scale earthquake.  Now compare that to the 1989 earthquake in San Fransisco with a Richter scale of 7.1 ….62 people dead.  Why the colossal difference?  In my opinion…POVERTY.  Allow me to quote statistics.

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere.  Out of 177 countries, they rank at 164.  Approximately 78% of the people live in poverty earning no more than $2 per day and/or $70 per month.  Less than 45 percent of the people have access to clean running water.  Life expectancy is 52 years old.  12 percent of the children die before reaching 1 year of age and 10 percent die before reaching 4 years of age.  Almost one third of the population are either ill or underweight.  Almost half of the people are illiterate.  With statistics like this, how could they have the means to withstand an earthquake of that scale?   Want to see how this compares to people living in the United States and Haiti’s surrounding islands?

Here goes the Gross Domestic Income comparison:

Of course upon seeing this I was floored.  Until the recent earthquake, I was totally UNAWARE of the living conditions in Haiti.  I don’t know about you, but when I think of the Caribbean islands, I think white sand, blue water and palm trees.  I would venture to say that most people do.  In my prayer and meditation, I thought perhaps this was God’s way of uncovering the truth.  God’s way of ‘UNEARTHING’ the pain and struggles of the  people of Haiti. God had to Quake the Earth in order to Wake the people.

So often we (yep, that includes me) get so caught up in our own lives that we forget or even ignore the cries of others.  We begin to complain about how horrible our lives or situations have become.  Sometimes I become frustrated because I am not where I say I want or need to be.  I think back on my 41 years and ask….’Is this it?  Is this all I’m here to do?’  This morning, I did a self check.   And I realize that I have fallen short.  I have been found wanting.  This life granted to me is NOT all about me.  It is about EVERYTHING that is within and without me.  Is is about my brothers, my sisters, and my neighbors.

Now I pose this question to you…Are you Awake Yet?

To help you can do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund founded by Wyclef Jean (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can click here and donate directly on the website.

In love,

J-licious