Pray Haiti relief going to right places

Even before the earthquake, life was not good for a large majority of the Haitian people, survival being the daily activity. However, despite their situation, people in Haiti are quick to smile and enjoy the distraction from life that visitors bring. The rest of the world could take some lessons.

A small group of friends, along with my wife and I, have been involved with an orphanage, the Maranatha Orphanage and School, www.lifefortheworld.com, outside Port Au Prince. All survived without any being among the fatalities. Nonetheless, we remain heavy hearted for all that has happened and still have 150 children to feed.

Fundraisers are being taken by many organizations. While pleased at the outpouring of relief, there is concern about where aid is actually going. Are relief efforts helping the Haitian people help themselves or are we going in to rebuild and leave? Are we going to leave the Haitian people better off or will we feel better about ourselves thinking we helped? The people need money for supplies, money for equipment and money for training. The people need paying jobs to have a hope for the future. Are we, or will we be providing this?

There are immediate short term needs and goals, and initial efforts have overriding considerations. Classic disaster efforts are geared to helping the greatest number of people with the least amount of resources. This involves more relief in developed areas of the city, which is also the more affluent part of the population. The poorest, rural areas may see the least help.

As funds are raised and spent, is it the foreign companies that benefit or is there an effort to develop and utilize Haitian workers? My personal prayer is that the aid benefits the people, not the companies or governments involved.

Thomas E. Jamrok

Glen Ellyn