It’s just too cruel, cruel beyond words. A magnitude 9 earthquake, massive tsunami, nuclear meltdown, lack of electricity, heat, food and potable water…
and now snow has begun to set in.
Word has come today that the U.S. has sent charter flights to evacuate American citizens as the nuclear reactors in the stricken zone have begun to melt down. Japanese citizens have been instructed to seal themselves indoors in a radius of up to fifty miles.
Millions are without electricity, heat, and water. Perhaps the snow is merciful, as many have taken to collecting the snow and melting it in order to obtain water. Still, overnight temperatures are in the 20′s, and the clock has just about run out on finding anyone alive in the rubble.
What is disturbing is that charitable donations have been comparatively light compared to the quake in Haiti. USA today has a good article on this. Read it here. Thus far, American charities have only raised $49 million for Japan. The article compares this to other disasters:
The earthquake that decimated Haiti last year, for instance, prompted $296 million in American donations in the first seven days, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. In 2004, Americans gave nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in the first week.
Part of the reason for fewer contributions may be the perception of Japan, which has the world’s third-largest economy, as a self-sufficient society, says the philanthropy center’s executive director, Patrick Rooney.
Perhaps. But then, the U.S. was doing well on 9/11, and the world responded generously. Love is not something to be means-tested before being given. These people have endured the unimaginable with great stoicism and good social order. Still, we need to reach out to them, in love.
For many, the worst is yet to come.
And lest we forget the heroic 50 workers who have stayed at the nuclear power plant to avert a wider catastrophe, they have all but signed their death certificates in doing so. These are the ultimate pro-life scientists and engineers. Let’s take a moment to pray for them and for their families, then make a donation in their honor.
God Bless.
Thank you for mentioning those nuclear plant workers. I have been thinking about them so much over the past couple days, knowing that they are willingly sacrificing their lives.
If we are indeed correct, may God in His mercy make their sufferings brief.
Thanks for your eloquent and touching post. And the reminder to give generously out of the abundance that God has blessed us with.
In light of all the St. Patrick’s stupidity being done over on this side of the world we would do well instead to remember the intense suffering of the Japanese people.
Just watching the video of the firefighter who lost everything and everyone – his wife, his son and daughter-in-law and their four grandkids.
Makes my heart break for these people.
Donate and PRAY.
Well, of course the low level of giving is because Japan is a first-world country. My husband and I were just talking about this. We don’t find it disturbing at all. Haiti couldn’t help themselves, and we all knew it. We gave generously. Indian Ocean Tsunami was much the same. Countries affected were those which were not well able to help themselves. We gave generously.
But a first-world country that, as far as I know, has not yet asked the people of the world to help, that’s different. They have all my prayers, but would my limited donation dollars be better donated toward others whose needs are greater because they have no one able to help who is nearby or because they are forgotten or ignored by the media?
I think 9-11 and Katrina are an excellent example of when not to give. Truly, we are a country that can take care of such disasters with our own person-to-person help — let’s not get into the mire of what should have been the government response — but just talking Americans helping Americans. We had more than enough. And in fact, after 9-11, in my opinion, an obscene amount of money was thrown into so many funds that it became ridiculous. I contributed to Katrina relief through the Catholic Relief Services. I did not contribute any funds to anything connected to 9-11 because money was pouring in to a degree that was overkill and just not good stewardship.
When Japan identifies to the rest of the world that they need the help of individuals making contributions to something specific, then I’ll contribute. Right now, my government is actually doing what I want it to with my tax dollars – sending in our military-based humanitarian support.
And of course, I trust completely that organized Catholic relief services (not to mention individual parishes and their members) right there in Japan are helping at every opportunity. When someone makes it known to me — hopefully through the various Catholic news services — that there is a great need for our individual help, I will give generously.
I do not give to secular institutions that claim to help in disasters or other areas of humanitarian need. Too frequently the money is wasted and/or spend on programs opposed to Catholic teaching.
I have here on my desk a recent flyer from Cross International Catholic Outreach. They operate under a theory that I subscribe to in my charitable giving: Utilizing churches to distribute aid has an important spiritual impact, strengthens the Christian community’s ability to share the Gospel with those who need it most, not to mention that the maximum amount of my contribution actually reaches those in need.
This is not parsimony (i.e. stinginess). This is stewardship of our family’s limited resources.
Of course, I don’t think the majority of Americans who have not yet given actually share my Catholic views on the subject, but I do think plenty of people are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. People are waiting for the other shoe to drop. There could be something much worse coming down the road with the spectre of the disaster at the nuclear facilities on the horizon. Should something truly terrible happen there, we will see a great outpouring from America and the world.
The USA Today article (linked above) mentions that the charities handling aid to Japan have not been publicized as well as for previous recent disasters and that may be affecting donations. By a quick Google search, I have found that various Catholic Dioceses are recommending going to http://www.crs.org. online. There you can follow the links to “donate to Japan” and make an online donation. If you’d rather make a check donation, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is taking donations. Go to www,crs.org for their address. CRS is working with Caritas Japan to bring help to the Japanese people where most needed.
Seeing the snow in Japan is heartbreaking. It keeps the Japanese more isolated at a time when they are in most need of each other, not to mention the physical danger they are in when they are without heat and electricity for prolonged periods. They are having to share blankets, one to three persons in some cases. Food is being rationed. I understand that 25% of the population are elderly.
Lord, Please give them strength and keep them in Your care.