Like most, I will never forget hearing the number 7.0, that was the magnitude of the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. 230,000 were killed, 1.5 million left homeless. I remember going to ALL of the major news sites: MSNBC, NBC CNN, BBC etc sitting at my desk CRYING! My heart ached for the people of Haiti and those that had lost their lives. From the comfort of my office and home I sat and watched as thousands of people were dying and had lost their only comfort. It was then that I prayed that one day God would position me so that when disaters like this strike I can pick up and go! Well that day has come thanks to an organization called Help Us Save Us and its' founder Fred Joseph Jr.
I will be leaving on July 14, 2011 to go to Haiti with Fred and some people from his organization to help rebuild the Country.
I've been blessed to have connnected with Fred, he is quite an amazing man! A week after the earthquake Fred flew down to Haiti to volunteer to help people, he agreed to share his experience with me.
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| Fred speaking to the people of Haiti |
"I still remember staying up all night, not being able to sleep and my mom telling not to go. God said 'I'll send you Fred, and I'll pay for your expenses, I am not worried about HUSU' that was on January 18, 2010. On January 19th, 2010, I flew to Port-Au-Price, Haiti to give aide to the people. I stood alongside doctors, nurses, and government officials and assisted with amputation, surgeries, and search efforts. You haven't heard a woman cry until you hear a Haitian woman cry! On Jan 20, 2010 the grounds started to move, and everything around me started to fall it was the most scariest thing I've ever been through, it was good vs Evil, forces of life vs. forces of death, and, at this particular moment, Haiti vs. those that sought to exploit her in her vulnerability. In the stillness of the nite, I still ask myself how many people have died since I left the compound–where I served as a translator and volunteer. HUSU is not just Haiti; We will expand to Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Sierra Leone, Angola, and more."
I could pull hundreds of pictures off the internet of Haiti's aftermath, but Fred was gracious enough to share his personal photos from his trip a week after the earthquake.
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| Family in disbelief |
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| The Trauma Center |
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| Bed time in Haiti |
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| The hospital was full so they moved patients outside |
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| Fred with a patient that had an amputation w/o anesthesia |
Fred, you are a beacon of light in the midst of darkness! Thank you for your willingness to want to help people in need, your story brought tears to my eyes and has moved me to step out beyond my comfort zone and do more for others! May God bless you and your organization as you all continue to bless others, see you in July!
This post serves as a reminder of what happened in Haiti on January 12, 2010, I know that I will NEVER forget and I hope that you don't either. When you complain about how cold you are while you're driving in your car or sitting in your house, when the hardest questions in life are deciding what to eat for lunch, when you have trouble picking out your outfit for the night or complain about how much you hate life, remember the people in Haiti. There are some that are STILL sleeping outside today! If you are alive, have a roof over your head, food to eat, believe me when I say you are living in luxury! Let's start living a life of gratitude, be thankful for everything!
Help Us Save Us is a non-profit organization that maintains with the help of caring individuals like you! If you'd like to get involved with Help Us Save Us you can contact Fred Joseph Jr at Fred.Joseph@helpussaveus.org and you can follow him on twitter Fred's Twitter as well as the organization Help Us Save Us on twitter
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