From my Facebook wall: on Haiti

I tweeted earlier the important reminder that there is still a chance that a trip to Haiti will not be approved by the University. What this means to the actual volunteer is not very much.

In response to that tweet, James Kane wrote on my Facebook wall asking for clarification. The response was important enough that I want to include it here.

"It is not that they are against us helping, but more than likely it is just a mix of caution, fear, and normal bureaucracy. I am optimistic that in the end we will get approval, but I am very very very confident that some of us will be going to help.

I know we can help. To me that means we means we have a responsibility to help. We must help.

As we spoke on the phone the other day, there are risks, but there are risks in every job we do. Tearing down houses, cutting down trees, and putting up roofs can be dangerous. Working in the bad areas of New Orleans, Buffalo, Greenville, or even Olean comes with risk.

Risks mean we must be careful. We will be careful. You know that. Indeed you were in New Orleans right after Katrina.

I am not even saying the University will not approve our trip right now, they may. I am saying that as of yet, we do not have approval and rather than to say BonaResponds is taking a trip, or even you are traveling with BonaResponds, just remember that you and I may be traveling to Haiti to help as individuals working with some other organization.

Which is fine, to the real volunteer (which I trust all that have worked with BonaResponds are), it does not matter the organization who gets the credit, what matters is that the work gets done and the victims are helped. That will happen. We will do that. And whether we call ourselves BonaResponds, HODR, or James' Compassion Crew is immaterial. Helping the earthquake survivors is all that matters in the end. And that will happen."