At 4:53 (local time) Tuesday Jan. 12th 2010 on the tiny island nation of Haiti a miracle began…the world began to realize, we are “one people under God.”
With the help of the internet & social
networking sites such as
Twitter & FaceBook
the world was able to experience one of
the worst natural disasters of our history in REAL TIME.
Click here to listen to the musical soundtrack for this article–> Ben Wood’s REBUILD in SILENCE
Click here to see a slide show through the eyes of an actual Haitian–> Phil Ducat Flickr photostream
As some Haitian teenagers chatted w/FaceBook friends many mothers & fathers may have been finishing up Skype calls from work to clients or loved ones, all waiting for 5 o’clock and the end of another long workday.
None of them could have ever suspected that their lives would be changed forever in less than 40 seconds.
A 7.0 EARTH QUAKE (<–click details) rocked Haiti
for the first time in over 200 years,
waking the world from a long
sleep of ignorance.
Captured forever via camera phone, video and western media then unleashed on the world over the internet within seconds of the first tremor. Raw, uncensored images flooding the world so quickly, no one could even divert their eyes.
“The whole world was forced to witness
the fragility of human life.
Face the unacceptable truth;
“We can not control our own destiny…
it is all left in God’s hands.”
Like the ultimate & most horrific reality show ever imagined, Americans & people from every country in the world were forced to watch as a proud, yet impoverished nation was destroyed by “an act of God.” From TV to the internet, there was no way to miss every detail of this historic event, making it so much more real & personal.
We each could relate to a volunteer digging through stone w/bare fingers, mother searching for her living family members on FaceBook or a survivor smiling up at the heavens, just so amazed to be alive. Together we watched and listened to the story of Haiti & it’s people unfold. Learned how it went from being one of the 1st black nations to stand up & gain their freedom to the poorest nation in the western hemisphere and now the site of the worst natural disasters in human history.
TOGETHER, we all became one HEART, breaking for Haiti’s people. Pouring out our grief in thoughts, prayers & donations to the victims. The entire WORLD realized that DEATH doesn’t see age, race, bank account or belief system…it will take all that cross it’s path. That epiphany may be the “shot heard round the world,” for the human race.
“We all share this planet and we are all fundamentally the same: flesh, blood & bone.
We laugh, we cry & we rebuild!”
Some ignorant people have been quoted saying that this disaster hit Haiti because it somehow deserved it, thinking it was a form of punishment for some sin. Perhaps it was…but not as hatred spreaders would want us to believe, as a second chance. Maybe the entire world let our greed & love of material goods stand in the way of our charity.
Haiti is not the sinner or the victim, but the martyr. Her people have always suffered great hardships but have silently endured and will do so again. Their spirit has allowed some of them to survive being buried alive for longer than anyone believed humanly possible. When asked, they each say their faith kept them alive & their first words were used to thank God.
I think that if there is lesson to be learned from the earthquake in Haiti, it is that there is nothing more precious in life than living it. Everything can be replaced, except people.
“A man can LOSE all of his WEALTH and if he works HARD he can EARN it all back. If a man wastes TIME, it is gone FOREVER.”
Make the most of every moment…
Every action you take makes a difference in the BIG picture…
Doing nothing, sometimes makes the biggest impact…
PLEASE DON’T LET THE LESSON OF HAITI GO UNHEARD. SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY…MAKE THE MIRACLE HAPPEN.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO DONATE TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
AMERICAN RED CROSS http://redcross.org
Last night during my usual call with MyST I discovered he is definitely NOT a morning person. He described his “method” of setting his alarm for 7:00, then 7:10, 7:20…etc. etc. Shocking as it might seem, he still wakes up a lil cranky. 
Long story short, after a 90 minute wait the doctor referred us to a ear, nose & throat specialist. She hadn’t seen where the bleeding originated & there was liquid building up so, “better safe than sorry!” Now Terry will just have to negotiate w/the insurance company for a specialist on file for her insurance plan:D Gotta love it…*Giggles
Next stop was Tavares & RALSC Govt. Affairs committee meeting. Everyone got to see each other after the long holiday break, make a game plan for the upcoming year & just basically recharge off each others combined energy. I was delighted to find out that Bill Deese, Barbara Stamm & Debbie had all already earned their way into the $99 Club! As RPAC chair this year, it sure does make my job easier to have such educated leaders on my team:D CLICK HERE to learn more–> 
Last but not least, I made that gorgeous drive back to Clermont using the drive time to contact several new clients & update past clients. I even had a chance to pick up e-mail/voice mail early & I found a trend in the subject matter…
I really loved Jeff’s idea and others who use their birthdays as just another venue to give a little something back to the community. On my birthday I think the greatest gift anyone could give me would be just to come share their night with me at the Elks Lodge. Together we will celebrate all the gifts & blessings I have been given in life (such as friends & family). 
OUR MISSION:To inculcate the principles of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to recognize a belief in God; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its Members; to quicken the spirit of American patriotism; to cultivate good fellowship; to perpetuate itself as a fraternal organization, and to provide for its government, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America will serve the people and communities through benevolent programs, demonstrating that Elks Care and Elks Share. CLICK –>
Kim, Terry & Eileen’s Birthday Party
The ELKS will be having
KARAOKE (bring your guitar)
I was actually pulling for McNabb & his Eagles because I really think the guy is overdue for some good news for a change. He was so close before & I know he thought this year was one of his best ever. Unfortunately, his team didn’t live up to any of their expectations. “INCOMPLETE PASS,” is probably still ringing in everyones ears…sadly, most were very, very catchable.
Cowboys will now meet Brett Farve & his VIKINGS…in the battle of quarterbacks, Farve carries a BIG ax!
Ravens/Patriots match up to see who will fight on for AFC title. My choice has got to be the RAVENS! If you say it’s only because I loved the movie “The Blind Side,” and every time I think football, Michael Oher or Ravens I think of MyST so its an emotional pick…well you are 100% right. Football is a very emotional sport. Namely, team spirit!
Next stop takes us to the Cardinals/Packers game.
I think Whisenhunt will get his team together in time to defend their home field, the Cardinals are always strong at home. I’m thinking it’s Kurt Warner’s LAST SHOT at history, so far his footprint in the NFL hasn’t earned him even an “*”…let’s hope he realizes & steps up his game today. Loving Larry Fitzgerald & think he is ready to go prime time!
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