I am sure by now we have all seen the heartbreaking newscasts and images that are slowly emerging from Haiti.  For those of you that don’t know, Haiti was hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday January 12th, 2010.

The aftershocks are not as severe but none the less destructive for the hearts and souls of the Haitian people.  Their lives are shattered and torn apart, some forever with the loss of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and children.  Most people do not even know the fate of their loved ones that are missing.

Unless anyone has lived through something like this in history, it is hard to describe.  Having lived not far from Haiti, I can tell you that the people there, through no fault of their own, live in the worst conditions in the Northern Hemisphere.  Add a cataclysmic earthquake on top of this, and imagine no running water, no food, no place to sleep, aid unable to reach many in time, and an unknown future. It is their daily reality.

There are many, many ways to get involved.  Below is a list of organizations that are already making a difference in Haiti.  I, for one, have not turned a blind eye to the plight of so many people that I have had the honor and privilege to call “my friend” in my lifetime.  The highest honor anyone can give is a hand to those in need.

Canadian Red Cross:  http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=33898&tid=001
CARE:  http://www.care.org/index.asp?&p=http
International Medical Corps:  http://www.imcworldwide.org/Page.aspx?pid=183
Medical Teams International:  http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/Home.aspx
Doctors Without Borders:  http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
The Salvation Army:  http://www.salvationarmy.ca/

There are many more organizations that are making a difference in Haiti right now.  An online search will provide you with details of other organizations.