Chile

Para todos en chile les he prendido una vela, pensando en ustedes.

On February 27, 2010 a 8.8 earthquake hit Chile. More than 800 are dead and millions have no home.

I woke up that Saturday to the phone ringing and my parents talking frantically, something about an earthquake, I was still half asleep. I woke up and got ready to go to Medgar Evers. I was on a public education and inequity panel at Medgar Evers College. I barely got to speak to my parents about what had happened since I had to leave in a hurry.

The forum went really well, but on my way home the thought of Chile came to my thoughts. Is everyone okay and so on? As I walked up the steps to my home, every possible thought came to my mind. I was hoping that everything and everyone would be okay. I saw that my cousin’s shoes were still outside the door who I figured had already gone home, I thought why would he still be here, unless something has happened? I thought that maybe when I opened the door everyone would be crying. I opened the door and went to see if everything was okay, which it was, but I had a weird feeling in my stomach either way.

When a catastrophe like this occurs it is so hard for me to understand, because I have never lived through something like that. I am thankful that all my family and friends are safe. But I can't be conformed with just that, because there are millions who have not been so lucky. So I send my solidarity to them. Although I do not have family in Haiti I can sympathize and feel something.
When these natural disasters occur I think people wake up to a reality, that there is a greater power and energy stronger than any human or invention. It may be nature’s way of reminding people that it is still in control. But the people who are most affected are those who least deserve it (I think). I do not wish for anyone to suffer, but I do not understand why some do and some don't in these instances.

My cousin told me that all of his friends are helping out with anything they can and he wishes he could be there with them doing the same, as do I. At times like these we only have each other. We stop thinking in only ourselves and realize that people have it worse and need others support. Need a hand, a smile, food, a friend.

What can I do from so far away? I know that many people argue that we should be focused on the problems that our own city faces, but if you have $10 which many people do, but decided to spend it on clothing, they could send it to Haiti or Chile (to a reliable organization), where the $10 will go to food, water and other necessities.

Caring and helping one another brings us all closer as a species. Let us not forget that we are all brothers and sisters and only we can bring peace and equality. We can overcome oppression and hate.
Just thinking about others in the world for a moment during the day, acknowledging their existence and that there are other ways of life, I think brings us closer as well.

Back to Chile and what I can do for a place that I care for, because of the beautiful people and landscape that occupies it.
I think that once the government or people start to rebuild their homes it is a great opportunity to build these homes with an environmental consciousness. Constructing homes that are made of recycled materials and are energy efficient will be beneficial to the country as whole and the environment as well. I would really love to get this project going. If only I had the knowledge of an architect. But I do have an idea so now my task is to find an environmental institution in Chile that can make this idea into reality. Hopefully then I can go and help out for some months before college or maybe even this summer.