Two weeks since the disaster hit Haiti, many relief organizations have arrived and set up temporary facilities to help those who were injured during the earthquake.
Our Volunteer Ministers report that the most common problem in the hospital is gangrene that sets in when injuries remain untreated for days and days, as happened after the quake. The only solutionis to cut those limbs off. We have seen documentation of eight-year-olds missing legs or arms. A lot of young Haitians will grow up using wheel chairs or crutches. We can save their lives and ease their pain on an immediate basis but we can also help them create a new future for their country -- and we will.
Nabeel, a social blogger monitoring the scene in Haiti, gives a warning today that we want to support. He says:
It won’t be long before Haiti disappears from the news shows and people think the problem is resolved – they will be mistaken.
With over 3,000,000 people in Haiti affected (that’s more than the entire population of Toronto, for perspective) and 150,000 confirmed buried already, the scale of the problem is immense. Nearly $3 billion could be needed just for the relief efforts, and so far we’re just out of the emergency phase, says UN.
The next phase is getting organization and logistics going. What the country needs now is proper organization, distribution of supplies where it matters and more people pulling together to help Haiti! Your skills, donations and time are very appreciated. Find out how you can help!
For volunteering in Haiti please write to vm@volunteerministers.org. Please note if you speak French, Creole, Spanish, or any other language.
