Posted by
peripheral on Monday, February 08, 2010 10:19:14 AM
From My Perspective - - -
A focus upon and an appeal in behalf of Haiti rightfully continues.
World Magazine for February 13th states the following bleak estimates:–
"200,000 people dead; 194,000 injured; 1 million homeless; 800,000
living in squalor and make-shift camps; 2 million needing food aid;
structures destroyed – 70% in the Capitol, and 90% in towns close to
the epicenter."
March is the normal rainy season and that will compound the plight of
the helpless, hopeless and homeless. So far, the resilient people of
Haiti have managed to endure and survive their many changes of
government over the past 53 years.
World Magazine has this Footer in their latest publication - Traumatic history:
1957: Voodoo physician Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier seizes power in
military coup. After his death in 1971, his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc"
takes over.
1986: Mounting protests force Baby Doc to seek exile in France.
1988: Leslie Manigat wins presidential election, but is soon ousted by military coup.
1990: Former Roman Catholic priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide becomes Haiti's first freely elected president.
1991: Aristide is ousted in a military coup that triggers a mass exodus of Haitians.
1993: UN Security Council approves and deploys peacekeeping mission to Haiti.
1994: U.S. intervention spurs the military regime to relinquish power and Aristide returns.
1996: René Préval becomes president.
1998: Hurricane Georges claims the lives of more than 400 people and wipes out 80 percent of Haiti's crops.
2000: Aristide wins a second presidential term.
2003: Voodoo becomes an official religion in Haiti.
2004: Violent uprisings in February sparked by allegations of election
fraud force Aristide into exile; an interim rebel government takes
control. In May, flooding in the south leaves more than 2,000 dead or
missing.
2006: Préval returns as president.
2008: Soaring food prices incite riots in April, spurring the
government to cut rice prices in an emergency move to halt unrest.
Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike strike Haiti in
August-September, killing nearly 800 people and wiping out 70 percent
of the country's crops. In November, faulty construction causes a
Petionville school to collapse, killing nearly 100 children and adults.
2010: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocks Haiti on Jan. 12, toppling
buildings and burying thousands of people in the rubble. Estimates are
that more than 200,000 people may have perished.
Many appeals are made for financial assistance and one must exercise
great care in how one contributes financial assistance. The two
organizations that are most consistent in delivering aide and
assistance in a fair and timely manner are The Salvation Army and
Samaritan’s Purse. A safe way to contribute is to determine whether or
not the organization appealing for your funds has an ECFA Seal
(Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). One should check to
determine how much of your contribution is absorbed by Administrative
Costs before any is used for the designated need.
How should you approach giving to such needs? Just two thoughts and
suggestions: Luke 6:38 (NLT), “If you give, you will receive. Your gift
will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to
make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in
giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back
to you.” In II Corinthians 8:1-4, “Now I want to tell you…what God in
his kindness has done for the needy.
Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their
wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. For
I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far
more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us…for the
gracious privilege of sharing in the gift…” Most of us could sacrifice
from our plenty - Money, Soft Drinks, Chips, Meals or Desserts for
those who have nothing! Consider these things with me!