when it rains, it pours

January 19, 2010 - Huntington Beach, California


Current Status:
Weather - down
My immune system - down

It's not always sunny in Orange County, CA. After enjoying a week of rain in Houston, TX, I returned to Santa Ana, CA. This was Saturday night and it has been raining since Sunday! It is not looking much better, friends!

I have been particularly intimate with my Macbook and bed these past two days as the cute inflammation of my pharynx tickles my throat. I'm congested and I'm grumpy. However, isolating myself in my room has given me the opportunity to reflect on interesting events and ideas I have.

An unfortunate event that has had a surprising effect on me is the 7.0 magnitude Haiti earthquake that took place on January 12. Over 72 thousand deaths have been recorded since then. After 8 days, people are still being discovered deep under the piles of rubble. I watched a clip of Anderson Cooper on CNN reporting that in areas where rescue efforts had given up searching for survivors, there were survivors still trapped underneath collapsed buildings sending text messages seeking help by giving their locations.

Eight days after the disaster, a 5-year-old boy was rescued by his uncle, who pulled him from under his collapsed home. Although he had no broken bones, he was suffering from dehydration. It is possible that he had nothing to eat or drink since the earthquake and that his body had begun to consume itself for energy.

I am inspired by those who have committed to relief efforts of this natural disaster. I received an e-mail from my cousin saying that will be flying to Haiti on Saturday. She will assist the efforts of organizations like Food for the Poor and TDA Africa. Eventually I would like to contribute to causes that help relieve the effects of natural disasters.

I started researching local community service projects that I can be involved with. In the past I volunteered at The Boys and Girls Club and I am currently considering working with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Please be safe, be healthy, be warm, and be good!

source: CNN
(The image of the Huntington Beach pier was not photographed by me. Source unknown.)