Haitian Boat Crash

The story of a small overcrowded boat of Haitians crashing is not a new one. Still, the heart wrench in the details creates a desire to help the "miserably poor" country. The U.S. Coastguard searched 52 hours for survivors. So often we see ourselves as protectors of the helpless but then feel helpless to create the change that would have a long term effect.

In step #3 of FPS we are allowed to ignore for a while the known barriers to solutions. All of the consideration of strengths and weaknesses of a proposal is reserved for the 4th and 5th steps. So for now, what are all of the ways we might alleviate Haitian misery?

1. Implement the LDS Church's PEF program (to educate poor people)

2. Give out Micro loans (to help start home business)

3. Give them reflector ovens like the ones BYU students took to South America (so they can cook without expensive electricity or polluting fires)

4. Merry-Go-Rounds that generate lamp light like the ones BYU students took to Ghana

5. Teach them the intensive farming techniques developed by the Benson Institute at BYU

6. Create housing like the capsule hotels in Japan

7. Use Mayor Giuliani's "Broken Window" philosophy to stop crime.

8. Make U.S. adoption of their orphans easier

9. Create factories for them to work in based on the Google model.

10. Teach them to spin cloth Gandhi style.

11. Make it safe for Doctors Without Boarders to work there.

12. Teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ so they will find purpose in living and be able to make sense of difficult times.

13. Give them clean drinking water through "Operation Blessing" at the 700 club.

14. Create jobs for people like FDR did during the Great Depression. (Jill)

15.

I needed to add this report on the efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Haiti since the earthquake. These people aren't just brainstorming, they are DOING what they can to help.