The situation in Haiti seems to be as bad as things can get. It is now estimated that there are 200,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless in this earthquake-ravaged country. In the midst of all this, some survivors are still dying in the streets, doctors beg for help, and looters attack survivors with machetes to take the supplies just provided by aid workers. This as our military works to provide a degree of order.br /br /As horrible as this is, we must keep in mind that Haiti was once a very prosperous land; yes, they’re in the hurricane area and frequently get hit by them. But the problem is not the hurricanes or, in this case, the earthquake. The problem is that the national government is and has been so corrupt that they do no preparation for such disasters. Since we’ve been to Haiti many times in the past decades to help out with problems, isn’t it time to help them help themselves in the future? Maybe it’s time for the UN or some other agency to step in and run the country.br /br /Haitians are so used to others coming in and helping them that they fell no obligation to prepare to take care of themselves. Indeed, one Haitain, Jean Michel Jeanete shouted, “Have we been abandoned? Where is the food?” Uhhh, where did you store it, Jean Michel?br /br /Yes, we absolutely do need to continue to help them through this present crisis. But, then, we must do what is necessary to ensure that they plan to care for themselves in the future. How is it right or merciful to allow them to live in this poverty/charity cycle?
