We’re supposed to develop Object Permanence within the first year of our lives but I sometimes wonder if we’ve all still got a long way to go.
Child development expert and psychologist Jean Piaget coined the phrase Object Permanence to describe the stage in a child’s life when they start to realise that an object still exists even when they can’t see, hear, or touch it. Most agree that children reach that point at about eight or nine months of age.
I wonder if we need to develop some Object Permanence regarding Haiti.
The massive tragedy that hit Haiti has already started to slip from our headlines. Stories about the relief efforts are now moving further and further inside our newspapers rather than being splashed across the front page.
I know that such a tragedy can’t continue to occupy the same place in our hearts, minds or media, but we can’t afford to forget. Just because we can’t see, hear, or touch the hurt each day, we must maintain our Object Permanence.
In weeks, months and even years from now, the people of Haiti will still be dealing with losing around 200 000 mothers, fathers and children. The millions of people affected will still be trying to put their lives together.
I’ve seen first hand the kind of conditions the Haitian people faced every day before the earthquake hit. It’s a long road back to even those conditions but we can’t let things go back to how they were. We need to ensure that things are better than they have been. That’ll take years and probably even decades but these people require our ongoing assistance.
Compassion has been working in Haiti for over 40 years and they’ll be there long after the initial clean up and relief effort is over. I’ve seen the work they do and know how much of a difference it makes. That’s why I’ll still be making whatever contributions I can to help Haiti and its people over the coming years.
Please donate generously to Compassion to help those in Haiti. Click here to give through Compassion International. If you’re in Australia, click here to donate through Compassion Australia.
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Object Permanence? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.