I never watch the news. Why should I? It's depressing. All there is to see is crime, scandal, and the latest celebrity "Oops!" moment. This is why I had no idea how bad the earthquake in Haiti really was... or that there WAS an earthquake in Haiti. Until recently.
My first thought was "Oh great. Another natural disaster. Those poor people." And that was the extent of my sympathy. I selfishly tuned out conversations on the topic because, honestly, who wants to hear about death tolls?
My husband, Rick, (or as we like to call him, "The Sponge" because he remembers everything and has a random factiod on just about anything) is usually up on current events. This morning, he spouted of some stats and showed me a few pictures. I almost cried, and I hate crying.
I saw the devastation, the death, wounded waiting for care, and the little Haitian children. People climbing over giant piles of junk that used to be streets and buildings. Families collecting water spewing from a broken pipe and homes folded over onto one another like crumpled newspaper. Some have survived this 7.0 magnitude earthquake only to be shot or beaten amidst all the looting and violence.
The street sides are literally lined with the dead. Mass graves overflowing with body after body heaped one on top of the other. Lonely bodies or appendages, stiff with death, sticking out from amongst the rubble.
I've read of death tolls from 50,000 to 200,000; who but God really knows how many and who they were?
Pictures:
http://bit.ly/4BaF6D
http://bit.ly/5oi3Gg
