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How the Haiti Earthquake Became Real to Me

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haiti-reliefSometimes from the comfort of your home office, world events can seem far away.  If anything is true in marketing, is the importance to be in touch with your audience, or target market.  World events don’t always impact everybody, because they are not directly affected by them, or because there is little or no connection to a specific event.  Social media has changed this for me; specifically with last week’s earthquake in Haiti.  Let me explain.

How the Haiti Earthquake Became Real to Me

Nearly 15 years ago I met Stephen on board a hospital ship in West Africa.  We were there as missionaries, and he and his wife Belinda were team leaders.  That time in Ghana was life changing, and I had the privilege to get to know Stephen and Belinda along the way.  Having been out of touch for years, we reconnected (briefly) via Facebook last year, and yesterday I decided to email him to see how he’s doing.  He replied quickly.  He is in Haiti, serving those devastated by last week’s earthquake.  His email was brief, but he directed me to his Twitter account for the latest updates.  Reading those updates (more below) really hit home for me.

How Can I Help?

After I reading his Twitter updates, I wondered, what else can I do to help.  Of course giving money is good.  As I thought about how to be most helpful, I realized you can help me too.

My Offer – Encourage Stephen – $1 Per Comment Through Friday

Let’s help raise a bit more money for this cause, and encourage Stephen (and others) in the process. For every note left in the comments section to my friend Stephen or someone you know to be serving in Haiti, MarketingProfessor.com will donate $1 to World Relief for their continued work in Haiti (video).  Deadline: Friday 1/22/2010, 5pm.

There are Many Good Organizations Doing Work in Haiti

CharityNavigator.com is a  great resource for researching organizations that serve Haiti.  They also provide solid guidelines for evaluating an organization before donating.  See the “Tips For Funding Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts” section on that page. 

Why am I supporting World Relief? My personal connection to the organization through my long time friend, Stephen. Learn what they are doing and see how you can help here.

See updates below from Stephen and others I know serving in Haiti:


Chime In With Encouragement – MP Gives $1 For every comment below, MarketingProfessor.com will donate $1 to World Relief (ends Friday 1/22/2010, 5pm). Feel free to encourage Stephen or others you know there.

charity, haiti

About Travis Campbell

Husband. Dad. Marketing automator. Author. Educating and coaching others in their online business endeavors. Here's his Google profile.

View all posts by Travis Campbell →

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  • Janet

    Go Stephen! Travis thanks for doing this!

  • http://www.CarrierBid.com/ Matt

    Stephen, I pray that you are guided by God in your efforts in Haiti. May he give you strength to encourage others in this difficult situation as you spread his love through acts of service.

  • katie

    Stephen, praying for you and all who serve as God's hands of mercy and compassion in Haiti today.

  • http://twitter.com/RichFarr Richard Farr

    They need any and all help right now. Keep up the good work.

  • AMEJ

    Strength, hope and perseverance to you and all those working with you in Haiti, Stephen! Your heart for people is absolutely inspirational.

  • http://brentleary.com learyb

    Travis thank you for this very thoughtful post, and for using social media in such a great way at this critical time. Thanks also for introducing us to your friend Stephen and his efforts to help those in Haiti.

    Your post shows the positive power technology can have on our abilities to serve each other at times like these. I share my thoughts on the great way people are coming together to help the people of Haiti on a post yesterday over at TheSocialCustomer.com:
    http://bit.ly/7VXamw

    I will be glad to RT and let people know of your post, and of Stephen's efforts over in Haiti.

    Thanks again Travis!

    • http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

      Brent- Thanks for chiming in, and sharing that resource. Indeed, social media is powerful.

  • lpeters

    Thank you to all those helping and to Travis for doing this and his encouragement to those on the ground.
    To the staff on the ground: we are praying for you and for those you are helping. Thank you for your updates and for your sacrifice to be there. I'm incredibly amazed by your heart and stamina! We pray for strength, energy, and joy!

  • http://mixergy.com Andrew Warner

    Right on.

  • constanceh

    I have not had the heart to watch any of the news covering this event. It's just so vast and far reaching that I cannot wrap my mind around it. Besides giving monetarily, I have kept those affected by this tragedy in my prayers as well as those kind and generous souls like you, Stephen, who are taking hands on action to help.

    God bless you and everyone out there for what they are doing!

  • Mark

    This is a great idea. Thanks for helping the Haiti relief effort.

  • Piper

    We are all praying.

  • Anonymous

    Travis!

    Thank you for supporting World Relief and Stephan as we respond to the Earthquake in Haiti.

    We were one of the first relief organizations to land and so we have been able to scale up quickly and start having a significant impact.

    Today we are feeding and providing water to 1,400+ people, and we have 3 operating theaters up providing beds for 300 people.

    God is moving through our Church network in Haiti and we are thankful for the response from the Church in the US.

    Blessings.

    • http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

      Thanks for the update Gareth.. Very helpful. Feel free to comeback and reply to your own comment here with other updates (so it stays on top). Thanks for all you are doing, and to all who are chiming in with comments. (FYI: Goal for Friday, is much larger than where we are at currently).

  • Anonymous

    Travis!

    Thank you for supporting World Relief and Stephan as we respond to the Earthquake in Haiti.

    We were one of the first relief organizations to land and so we have been able to scale up quickly and start having a significant impact.

    Today we are feeding and providing water to 1,400+ people, and we have 3 operating theaters up providing beds for 300 people.

    God is moving through our Church network in Haiti and we are thankful for the response from the Church in the US.

    Blessings.

  • Dale Williams

    Stephen,
    We stand with you and the World Relief team in Haiti.

  • http://www.wr.org/ Jen Burkholder

    I am so proud of the World Relief team in Haiti and the work the church is doing. Stephan, be encouraged that not only is our World Relief Cambodia Country Office giving but our China Country Office (3 staff) has just wired/donated a considerable sum as well towards the Haiti Earthquake relief efforts.

  • Meggie

    Stephan and all relief workers are in our prayers! Thank you, Travis, for this support!

  • Rachel

    Thanks so much for doing this! God bless Haiti and the relief efforts.

  • Nancy Green

    What an awesome thing to do for Stephan. Yes, he and Belinda have a way of changing people's lives….mine included.

    Praying for you, Stephan.

  • jlynnosu

    Praying for God's provision in Haiti.

  • sarawynn

    Praying for you all….

  • kibian

    Stay Strong Stephen and God Be With You Always.

  • Amanda

    We are praying! Thanks for your help Travis…if we all do our part…

  • capturehits

    Serving the world can be done in so many ways. Wishing you the best of luck in raising funds! Thoughts and prayers will be with your friend. Huge mission field there!

  • http://BestSellerAuthors.com Warren Whitlock

    Help a friend, help a cause and feel good.. what fun

  • SKSpringer

    First let me say that Stephen is married to my wonderful cousin Belinda and they have 2 beautiful children. Over the years they have helped so many people in so many ways. Even though we are onalmost opposite sides of the U.S. they are always in my thopughts and prayers. To Stephen-you are a true instrument of God and I pray he gives you strength as you do His work there. All of us are praying for you and for the people of Haiti. I know God has his hand on you and on your family as they wait for your safe return.

  • http://www.lylasite.com/ laura

    Go Travis go! I'm so excited you'll be doing this!

  • tammycastro

    God bless you, Travis for taking action! I sit in complete paralysis sometimes when I watch the videos and news clips. It is just so heartbreaking. I am in Pittsburgh right now where 53 orphans from Haiti arrived this morning safely to be delivered to safe homes of adopting parents. That was a silver lining sorely needed… seeing precious lives saved and given hope for a future and health. May we all continue to pray and be sure to give any financial gifts to validated organizations, as there are so many scams out there! God give all the Haitians mercy, grace, strength… and hope!

  • joelrunner

    Travis – What a great way of contributing and sharing how it touched you! I'll spread the word, and will check in to see how well the project went. Good luck!

  • Theresa_Baiocco

    Great idea, Travis! That's awesome that you found a way to use your social networking skills to reach out to Haiti.

    And Stephen: thank you for diving in and making a difference. Best of luck!

  • myideaguy

    Travis,

    Congrats to you and your friend Stephen for your efforts.

    The people in Haiti certainly need the world to rally together. Kudos for you doing your part.

    All the best.

    Stu

  • http://twitter.com/AndreaKalli Andrea Kalli

    Excellent work here, Travis! Congrats on showing your support for those in great need right now.

  • davehardinMPdotcom

    Travis,

    I would expect no less from someone like you.

    Way to go!

    Dave

  • davehardinMPdotcom

    Travis,

    I would expect no less than this from a guy like you.

    Way to go!

    Dave

    • http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

      Dave- In my book that's a duplicate comment. Given the cause, I like your style. :-)

  • eMktgStrategist

    I wanted to share a bit from a letter my Shamanic teacher sent to her mailing list today. Regardless off how you know God, I think it's good advice for how to help:

    “Each of us will be shown what to do. In addition, it is important to me that I keep a Candle lit on my altar… it becomes a reminder to ensure that my daily life includes time for doing shamanic tending for those in Haiti. The tasks and responsibilities of ordinary living can absorb my attention that I can neglect to bring the best of my energy to tending Haiti. This Candle reminds me to give from the Light of my being and offer Light from other Helpers to Haiti. I recommend, if you haven't already, to place in your daily 'space' a reminder to take time – tend Haiti.

  • Melanie Jennings

    Very tragic event for these poor people of Haiti. I hope this comment helps and others will add to the relief fund.

  • http://twitter.com/bendtheweb JackHumphrey

    Wow man – 644 comments so far and I just Tweeted you – you are a brave man! Really great thing you're doing here.

    • http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

      Jack-

      Would be thrilled with that many comments. Still a way off from the goal. Thanks for chiming in.

      • http://twitter.com/bendtheweb JackHumphrey

        Whoops, I read the wrong number. Well, here's to 600 more!

  • http://JoeHageOnline.com Joe Hage

    Stephen and others, thank you for doing what I don't have the time and resources to do myself.

  • http://BestSellerAuthors.com Warren Whitlock

    Tell Travis to give a dollar in your name to help Haiti

  • jps70

    Praying for Stephen and everyone in Haiti.

  • Erin Augis

    We are all the children of God – let's treat everyone as the brothers and sisters that they are to us. Thanks for the work you are doing!

  • The Crawford family

    To Stephen and every hand that is reaching out the love and help of Christ in Haiti,
    May the Lord use you to reach the most quiet and dark corners with the healing, love, and saving touch of Jesus. May you all know that God is working through you to pour His love over the broken and hurting. May He keep giving you strength and power to be bright lights that shine the hope of the Lord over His precious children. Many prayers, The Crawford Family

  • Laura

    Stephen, I pray that God would encourage and strengthen you, for He is our rock and our source of strength in all we do.

  • http://rocketmade.com Joshua Aikens

    Travis,

    Thanks for putting up some cash to help those in need. You are a good man.

    Joshua Aikens

  • Celia Baiocco

    Thanks for the update on Haiti.

  • rkstudio6

    Just got your message Travis. Blessings & prayers to Stephen. Stephen: Be encouraged in the work! Myself and many friends are praying every day for all in Haiti. May God keep you encouraged and safe amidst all the destruction, and give miraculous encounters & resources that only He can provide.

  • http://twitter.com/joemanna Joseph Manna

    Travis,

    This is very noble and kick-ass you're doing this. I feel for the people in Haiti, as it's the worse possible place on earth for such a natural disaster to take place. As such, I donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999. Really glad to see you leading such efforts to bring people together for such an awesome cause.

    It's a real interesting observation that social media enables people to talk, share stories, pictures, experiences and truly connect with each other on causes. Social media around causes helps us work together toward a common goal — raising awareness and bringing results to the targeted cause.

    Infusionsoft fully supports your efforts to raise awareness and support for Haiti. They need it, deserve it and we can do it together! :-)

    Let me know the progress of this effort and ping me when any future ones you might have.

    ~joe

  • BenE

    Glad to see you behind the relief effort.

  • dbifulco

    Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone struggling through this disaster in Haiti. I will help spread the word in any way I can.

  • http://www.rmsonline.ca/ Denis Lavictoire

    Thanks for doing this Travis, every little bit helps.

  • http://twitter.com/BrianKMeans Brian K. Means

    I am so proud of Americans and our willingness to assist in the relief and recovery of the Haitian peoples. I have sent monies through another organization, http://WaterIsLife.com , they provide clean drinking water for 1 year, for every $10 of donations. Check them out.

    • http://www.MarketingProfessor.com Travis Campbell

      Brian- That is great to hear. That is a great organization. And with your comment here, you are contributing further. Thanks for chiming in. -Travis

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