Incomprehensible devastation. Incomprehensible sorrow.
Unimaginable suffering. Unimaginable loss.
Haiti, Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
Today, television crews pack up and head home. Today, the next “big” story is now the news. Today, families and children in Haiti still suffer mightily.
Today, don't move on with your normal life. Today, stop and count your blessings. Today, give something to help; give a piece of your heart. Today, act as if failure to help our Haitian brothers and sisters is not an option.
Tomorrow, do it all again!
Wednesday night, January 20th, I took my dog for our usual nightly walk around 9PM. The fog that enveloped St. Louis for about three days lay heavy on the roof tops of all the homes I can usually see so clearly. It was an eerie feeling. As we walked, the street lights glowed through the fog as I imagine lighthouses do on the shoreline for ships seeking safe harbor. This visual of a bright light reminded me of a recent article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review that talked about positive things that occur in seemingly difficult situations and how these bright lights need to be examined, understood and then replicated. I will suggest that the unbelievable spirit of giving and sacrifice that we have seen by those helping in Haiti be examined, understood and replicated in our own communities. Finding people still alive after being buried for three, four, five days in the rubble is clearly a bright light. Providing medical care of all kinds in public parks, streets and other places in Haiti certainly is a bright light. Bringing water- purifying systems to Haiti that can be operated in normal size vans with simple machinery and table salt is clearly a bright light. As strange as it may seem, there are indeed bright lights shining even in Haiti!
Let us not have this moment pass by and not give to help the families and children of Haiti and let us recognize that right here in our own back yards people want for a better life. Beyond Housing runs a family support center in Pagedale that I hope is a bright light for that community. We offer an after school program, summer camp, food pantry, computer lab and programs for seniors – all on a modest scale. It is not designed to be the next “big” idea but simply a place where good things happen and people’s lives are improved. We need not get hung up with always having to find a scalable solution that will serve millions but rather show an idea, concept or program and let others see its success to be replicated. Finally, if we can simply show that, by caring about our neighbors, we help ourselves and set such a wonderful example for our children. Let us create some bright lights out there! If you have some example please share.