Haiti

After a day and a half the dust is settling and the extent of the tragedy in Haiti is becoming clear. This is one of the poorest and most desperate countries on earth. The earthquake struck at a place and in a manner that maximized pain and suffering and death on some of the most unfortunate people on earth. How sad is that?

Medical and emergency services in Haiti that were marginal before the event are apparently almost non-existent afterward. The weak government is virtually gone. Much of the infrastructure... electricity... clean water... is gone. There's no way to know how many died from the quake itself but the streets are lined with dead bodies. And certainly many more will die from the aftereffects... disease, hunger, anarchy, desperation.

What humanitarian assistance is provided will have to come from outside Haiti... from the USA and from other countries that have the resources and the compassion to help. It'll be interesting to see which ones step forward.

I hope every one of us can find a way, however small, to lend a hand... to help these survivors out.

Very sad and wanting to help...
Thom

Slightly Better than Most