Appropriate Response to Disaster

I’m sure by now everyone has heard about a group of American Christians who are being held in Haiti after attempting to take 33 children across the border without papers. Things like this just infuriate me. It’s incredibly possible that their hearts truly were in the right place, but their actions were completely inappropriate and in fact dangerous for the children they were trying to protect. This is only one of several stories I’ve heard over the past few weeks of good hearts doing the wrong thing.

This story is particularly troubling because this involved trafficking children. Even if their intent wasn’t to traffic children, they were attempting to transport children across international borders without any paperwork. That’s trafficking. Especially when the Haitian Government has made it very clear that no new adoptions will be processed until things are on more stable ground. It’s also troubling that none of these Americans appear to have any connection to Haiti or these children (some of whom claim to have living parents). They aren’t working there. They aren’t living there. They don’t actually know what’s going on or what is best for these children. After a massive crisis like what has happened in Haiti, families are separated. There is no way to know yet WHO is orphaned and who has living family elsewhere in the country. To just take children away is BREAKING UP families. Imagine if this were your family. You were separated, searching for one another, only to find months later that your niece or nephew or son or daughter was taken to another country? I am ALL for adoption- just not of children who already have families.

So after being given a pretty good example of what NOT to do, what is the appropriate response? Here's my 2 cents:

1. Prayer- always the first step. Pray for those who are suffering, pray for those who are serving in the disaster. Pray for wisdom and what your role is.

2. Consider giving- there are many reputable charities who are poised and ready to jump in after a disaster (Red Cross, Lutheran World Relief , etc) These groups are trained to actually assist in the rescue and clean up. When untrained people try to go and help, they get in the way and can easily get hurt. Trained volunteers are the ones who should go.

3. Bad Idea- trafficking children. Good Idea- finding ways to provide for them (food, shelter, clothing, water) while their country is rebuilt. Another Good Idea- reuniting families. Find and support charities or NGO’s that are doing that.

4. Bad Idea- mounting impromptu rescue efforts. Good Idea- assisting trained volunteers (financially, practically, etc). More people on the ground doesn’t mean more work is accomplished- often it just means more chaos.

If there is one thing I have learned while watching and being involved in international aid it’s this- just because your intentions are good doesn’t mean that the outcome is good. You may have a big heart but you need to listen to the people who are on the ground- THEY have a much better idea of what can and should be done to actually help.

It's important that we see that we all do have roles to play after a tragedy, we just have to be smart about it. Check out this article on Relevant- it talks about myths that surround disaster response.

So that's what I think.