I must say that I personally feel compelled to do what I can to help. It feels inadequate and it feels like a drop in the ocean but if we all come together and do a little that equals a lot.
In times of immense need this is when we should all pull together and do what we can, or certainly that is the ethos I work with. It is hard not to feel a bit useless when such tragedy hits a country. What can I, just one person do to help this country? Of course as a Christian, I can pray and I am and I will continue to do so but I can also choose to support one of the charities which are mobilising emergency supplies for the estimated half a million people who have lost their homes to last Friday's Tsunami and earthquake.
The charity that I am supporting is Shelterbox and today the first shelterbox kits have arrived in Japan ready to be given to some of the affected people. Over the next few days hundreds more boxes will arrive.
You will see over on the right, that I have a badge which you can click and donate to the Shelterbox disaster relief fund for Japan if you feel you would like to. If your circumstances do not allow for this perhaps you will consider displaying a badge or banner on your own blog/ website and helping to spread the message. If you do not have a blog how about putting a message on facebook or tweeting a link to shelterbox, we all have an obligation to raise the awareness that our help is needed. It is not OK for us to assume that because Japan is a developed nation that they do not need our help. America is arguably the most developed nation and when the hurricane hit New Orleans in 2005 they also needed emergency help from the aid charities. Yes these developed nations might be able to rebuild their own infrastructure once the search and rescue stage is over and everyone is in some kind of temporary accommodation but for right now their need is great and I feel it is my responsibility to help in any small way that I can.
JJ and I had a conversation about the situation in Japan over the weekend and I talked to him about donating some money to the cause. I would love to tell you I have a perfect son and he wanted to do this but at age 7 he was more interested in Moshi Monster cards that donating to charity, Luckily he has parents to do that on his behalf!
If you would like to know a little more about Shelterbox, watch this video clip. I watched it with awe at seeing all the amazing life saving boxes being packaged and sadness to knowing they were needed....