self sufficiency

it is difficult to listen to the radio (npr) or read the news (cnn.com). the effects of tuesday's 7.0 earthquake in haiti are devastating. seeing news footage of a haitian woman in mourning and shock rocking herself back and forth and wailing is heart-wrenching to say the least.

i am in awe of and have feelings of gratitude and reverence for those who spring quickly to aid and try to alleviate suffering. other than prayers, the only way i see myself helping is by increasing the amount of 'humanitarian aid' i normally contribute. if you know of more i can do, i am open to suggestions.

i cannot help but timidly attempt to put myself in the shoes of haitians struggling in the aftermath. i think about what reports reveal about water being the item most needed for survival followed by food and sanitation to prevent the spread of disease. this morning's commentary revolved around how unstable an environment it will be if people start to fight for survival. i wonder what i would do. if a similar disaster were to occur nearby, would i be OK?

while listening to the news during yesterday's lunch hour, i found it interesting that a haitian radio host (in brooklyn, ny) speaking to another on npr brought up how some of the people in haiti were seeing the event as some sort of spiritual awakening. i have no doubt that if something of this magnitude were to happen to me, i'd be pleading with my Maker.

my visiting teachers came over last night to chat and share this month's message entitled 'becoming self-reliant'. not until typing today's blog entry did this all really hit me. i mean, i have prepared myself in some ways. just not all...yet. i need to get my butt moving. how many more times do i have to be told? i do not have the luxury nor the stupidity to say that i never knew. for years and years i have been taught to prepare. prepare for emergencies, disasters, job loss, for anything and everything. both lovingly and sternly, i have been told to prepare.

so, i need more water. i don't think i could have too much water. i could probably be fine for month if i was really careful. but that's still not enough. also, i need a butane stove. i gave the crappy camp stove up in the divorce thinking i'd get myself a better one. i have yet to do so. my next purchase will be this from costco. in the meantime, i need to figure out a toilet system if the plumbing were to go out. hey, i have to think about this stuff.

i wish there was something i could do to move rubble in port au prince... something to somehow relieve suffering. i hope the suffering and death that comes as a result won't be in vain.