Please send prayers and money for Haiti (UPDATED AGAIN)

UPDATE: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AND THANK THE GODS! I finally heard back and my House people are accounted for and safe, as is my Sister's mother, who was visiting the very area where the epicenter was located. Our house is safe, too, surprisingly the building is intact and didnt suffer any damage... Im bouncing off the frikkin' walls with joy right now; to all those who sent energy and prayer, I humbly thank you from the very bottom of my soul.

I -still- encourage giving in any way you can manage, cash if you can but if you cannot PLEASE see what's offered in your area for phonebank support or volunteering for food collection or clothing collection... Haiti has a VERY long road of recovery infront of her and the need is still immediate. ANY help that can be given is desperately needed.

Again... I humbly thank you with as much gratitude as these tired bones can muster, a huge weight has been lifted from my chest and I can safely sleep knowing I do not have to mourn the passing of my loved ones. THANK YOU






OK, you guys know I never do this, but I (and my entire House) have no way of getting any messages out of Haiti since the Earthquake this afternoon... Port au Prince is essentially flat, the national cathedral, national palace, the parliament building, the Finance Ministry, the Public Works Ministry, the Palace of Justice and Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Port-au-Prince have all been destroyed and there's no count of death toll. Im really terrified for the Haitian membership of my House, beloved people all, people I fervently pray are all right and healthy... some of whom live in Port au Prince and its surroundings.

http://pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html

Please click on the link above and give, even if its only a single dollar or 5... Im talking less than a pack of cigarettes and less than a combo fast food meal... we can all do this comfortably without breaking anyone's bank, any little bit helps save lives with clean water and bandages, and much needed medical supplies. PLEASE... even if its only a buck. A SINGLE DOLLAR IS ABOUT HALF A WEEK WORTH OF INCOME TO THESE PEOPLE. Please... please give, and know that you are helping to save lives in a devastated nation.


This is from the PIH website, and shows why I support EVRY OUNCE of work these people are doing...

Update: January 13, 2010, 4:00pm
PIH teams in Boston and Haiti organizing earthquake relief efforts

Over the past 18 hours, Partners In Health staff in Boston and Haiti have been working to collect as much information as possible about the conditions on the ground, the relief efforts taking shape, and all relevant logistics issues in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the most urgent needs in the field. At the moment, PIH’s Chief Medical Officer is on her way to Haiti, where she will meet with Zanmi Lasante leadership and head physicians, who are already working to ensure PIH’s coordinated relief efforts leveraging the skills of more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants who work at Zanmi Lasante’s sites.

We have already begun to implement a two-part strategy to address the immediate need for emergency medical care in Port-au-Prince. First, we are organizing the logistics to get the medical staff and supplies needed for setting up field hospital sites in Port-au-Prince where we can triage patients, provide emergency care, and send those who need surgery or more complex treatment to our functioning hospitals and surgical facilities. To do this, we are creating a supply chain through the Dominican Republic. Second, we are ensuring that our facilities in the Central Plateau are ready to serve the flow of patients from Port-au-Prince. Operating and procedure rooms are staffed, supplied, and equipped for surgeries and we have converted a church in Cange into a large triage area. Already our sites in Cange and Hinche are reporting a steady flow of people coming with medical needs from the capital city. In the days that come we will need to make sure our pharmacies and supplies stay stocked and our staff continue to be able to respond.

Currently, our greatest need is financial support. Haiti is facing a crisis worse than it has seen in years, and it is a country that has faced years of crisis, both natural disaster and otherwise. The country is in need of millions of dollars right now to meet the needs of the communities hardest hit by the earthquake. Our facilities are strategically placed just two hours outside of Port-au-Prince and will inevitably absorb the flow of patients out of the city. In addition, we need cash on-hand to quickly procure emergency medical supplies, basic living necessities, as well as transportation and logistics support for the tens of thousands of people that will be seeking care at mobile field hospitals in the capital city. Any and all support that will help us respond to the immediate needs and continue our mission of strengthening the public health system in Haiti is greatly appreciated. Help us stand up for Haiti now.