;)
Friday
15Jan2010
Haiti Relief Efforts
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 6:49PM | Web Admin Dear KUUF members and friends,
I am guessing that you, like me, are aghast at the images coming back from Haiti. They remind me of nothing so much as Hieronymus Bosch paintings of hell. I am also guessing that you, like me, feel helpless in the face of this tragedy to do anything more than watch in horror as it unfolds.
I had the privilege of speaking to KUUF member Dr. Eric Rasmussen last night. He is on his way to Haiti as we speak. I asked him, "What can we do...besides write checks?" and he responded "Write more checks." The relief efforts are extremely expensive as access to Haiti is limited. In addition to the Red Cross, there are several reputable ways to donate that I can recommend:
The UUA and the UUSC have set up a relief fund. You can donate at www.uusc.org.
Paul Farmer's "Partners in Health" already has a presence in Haiti. Farmer wrote "Mountains Beyond Mountains." Their website is www.pih.org.
Last but not least, Eric's nonprofit, INSTEDD, "Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases and Disasters" is at instedd.org.
In the midst of the shock and horror, I think it's important that we turn toward family and friends in gratitude. It is not much fun being reminded that life as we know it is so fragile, but it does serve to help us see through the 'veil of the everyday' and remember what is most important. In the face of a tragedy of this magnitude, it is more important than ever that we light candles of hope, love, and compassion in our lives and in our world.
Rev. Liz Stevens
I am guessing that you, like me, are aghast at the images coming back from Haiti. They remind me of nothing so much as Hieronymus Bosch paintings of hell. I am also guessing that you, like me, feel helpless in the face of this tragedy to do anything more than watch in horror as it unfolds.
I had the privilege of speaking to KUUF member Dr. Eric Rasmussen last night. He is on his way to Haiti as we speak. I asked him, "What can we do...besides write checks?" and he responded "Write more checks." The relief efforts are extremely expensive as access to Haiti is limited. In addition to the Red Cross, there are several reputable ways to donate that I can recommend:
The UUA and the UUSC have set up a relief fund. You can donate at www.uusc.org.
Paul Farmer's "Partners in Health" already has a presence in Haiti. Farmer wrote "Mountains Beyond Mountains." Their website is www.pih.org.
Last but not least, Eric's nonprofit, INSTEDD, "Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases and Disasters" is at instedd.org.
In the midst of the shock and horror, I think it's important that we turn toward family and friends in gratitude. It is not much fun being reminded that life as we know it is so fragile, but it does serve to help us see through the 'veil of the everyday' and remember what is most important. In the face of a tragedy of this magnitude, it is more important than ever that we light candles of hope, love, and compassion in our lives and in our world.
Rev. Liz Stevens
