Earthquake in Northern California and no power or water for days.  The devestating earthquake in Haiti.  The government is not functioning, the US govt is trying its best with no existing infrastructure and aid agencies are squabbiling over who gets what, where.  The common denominator is water, food, medicine, gas/diesel and communication .  And gratefully they live in a warm environment.  The lessons learned for all of us is to be more self-reliant.  I have provided resources that are only suggestions.  Each person, family and community should adapt the principles to their own circumstances and not take these as rules!

The one thing Haitins don't have that we do... is time.  Disaster WILL strike all of us sometime.  It may be unemployement, a change in family circumstances (death, divorce, illness), natural disasters and any number of other events.  Resolve to do something today, don't wait. 

A great resource is http://www.providentliving.org/