SURVIVING A NATURAL DISASTER

What happens after a natural disaster strikes, and you survive?

In Japan, rescuers still discover bodies left ten days ago by the 9.0 earthquake, which then ignited a tsunami that destroyed the northeast coast. Police said over 15,000 have been killed by these disasters, with more than 20,000 missing or dead in total.
But some people, miraculously, are still being found. An 80-year-old grandma, Sumi Abe, and her 16-year-old grandson, Jin Abe, were discovered today on the roof of their destroyed house. Until now, Jin Abe had not been able to climb out of the debris to seek help. They were both wrapped in several blankets to keep warm and survived on food from their refrigerator. Jin and Sumi were both taken to a hospital.

“I always believed they were alive," Jin’s father, Akira Abe, said, according to msnbc.com.
Rescuers are still searching for more missing people, hoping they might find some additional miracles in a time of turmoil and grief.

Haitians can empathize with the Japanese. A year after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, they mourn the ones they lost and celebrate the lives still left.

“We've had an earthquake, hurricane, cholera, but we are still here, and we are still together," said Charlemagne Sintia, according to news.yahoo.com.

With this natural disaster hitting Haiti’s capital Port au Prince, where a third of the country’s population lives, the death toll was over 316,000. Over a million of its residents remain homeless, living in camps, unable to afford homes.

Debris is still being cleared away and the landscape resembles the same as it did after the earthquake, since the reconstruction efforts have yet to begin on the much-needed areas.

Although rescuers are still finding bodies, more than a year after the earthquake, people remain positive.
"God blessed me by taking only one of my cousins that day. Our house collapsed but we have health and life," said Terez Benitot, according to news.yahoo.com.

So for now, Haitians can look at the Japanese and feel their pain, because they know all too well what it is like to be where they are. But they also know when time passes, the wounds will begin to heal.

Giving Back, Help and Hope to Haiti

Today, I was in deep thought. There were a few people yesterday that were kind of mockingly asking me, "Jessica, are you going to Haiti to help?" They were asking in this manner, because they knew I went to Africa last year to volunteer.

I replied to each of them when they asked me, "If I could I would." So, today, I was in deep thought.

Each thought was distinctive yet jumbled, "Gosh, I wish I could help them. I feel so helpless. I can help them. How can I help them? Who can I contact to know where to stay there. My Governor, Major, who else? Okay, so it might cost me a few thousands of dollars, but I think it would be worth it to go help those people. How can I make this happen? I know I have the convention next week, so I'll go after that. I have to be back for work by Feb 12, so I can at least go for two weeks. Will they need people then? Of course, they will, they will need help for years."

My thoughts came at me like a pro pitching fast balls. There were too many but never enough. I had to make this happen. I was going to make this happen.

Several years ago, I realized that my calling in life is to help people...help people in whatever capacity that I can. So, when these people mockingly asked me if I was going to go help...my thought was how selfish of you to not even consider helping in some way.

So today when I briefly broke from my deep thought, I could overhear parts of conversations. Here they are talking about stories, movies, sports...while people are fighting to stay alive in Haiti. I mean we go on with our lives, what else do we have to do? We can't NOT go on with our lives. But how dare you mock me, because I'm willing and wanting to help others.

The burning desire to help those in Haiti eats at me. I start thinking how I wanted to help with Katrina or the devastating Tsunami and wasn't able to do so. Why does it take this third disaster for me to actually look up flight information to go help?

After I look up how I can personally go help. I'm left feeling down and disappointed. You can only help if you are a medical personnel, which I am not, or have disaster relief training, which I don't. I just thought they would need all kinds of help.

Looking at the video footage of the destruction in Haiti, I think, "Where do you even begin? There is so much to be done...but I guess you just have to start somewhere."

I decided to contact the American Red Cross and get trained in disaster relief. When something like this happens again, I will be prepared to go...I say "When" not "If," because unfortunately something like this is likely to happen again in my lifetime.

This desire to help Haiti has stirred up something else in me...I told my friend Marc, "I have to marry a rich guy, because I want to be able to just leave and help when something like this happens. I have to be able to afford to go help. I can't think about how much it's going to cost, because I need to help them."

Marc laughed at my reasoning and said, "Yes you do."

I talked with my friend Leslie today about Haiti. Leslie and I have known each other for about 16 years. I told her that I'm going to get trained in disaster relief, so I can help in the future. So, maybe, I don't go help Haiti now. Since they will need help for a long time, I will be able to go in a few months.

Leslie exclaimed, "I can't believe that! Just recently I realized that life is really all about helping people. I, too, wanted to help in Haiti. I contacted the Red Cross, and they said you have to be disaster relief trained to go. I asked when their classes were, and I signed up. I can't believe we both thought of that!"

I replied, "What! That's amazing! First of all, I'm so happy you realized that life is really about helping people. That makes me happy."

Leslie knows that I realized this for myself years ago, and I'm really thrilled that she realized it too. She says, "You are happy about that."

I respond, "Of course I am..thrilled, really. And maybe we don't go right away, and that's okay. It would be great if we went in a couple of months, and we got to go together. That would be even better."

Two great minds really do think alike!

You might not be able to go to Haiti. You may not have a desire to get disaster relief training, but there are still many ways for you to help. The biggest way is through donations. Like I previously said, they are going to need help for years to come. Your money can allow them to start their lives over. Imagine your whole world falling apart, being destroyed, but something out of your control, wouldn't you want someone to help you?

The most important thing for us to do for the Haitians is to instill hope. Going through and surviving this, life may seem bleak or daunting. There is really so much possibility for life, and it's our job to help them see there is so much hope for themselves and the future. We can help them rebuild their city more beautiful then ever. We can also help them to see that there is still so much life left in each of them. There is a reason why they went through this...and a reason why they survived. It is up to them to live their life to its full potential, but it's up to us to help them.

Find what's in your heart...and how you are moved to help. We are all more alike than we are different, and we all want and need help at some time in our lives. So, please find a way...any way, to help the Haitians. And when you give yourself, you motivate others to give and are also inspiring the Haitians and giving them the much needed HOPE!