Jock

I know this is not my usual stuff, but please, read this post! It's very important!

Venezuela, my country, suffered two major earthquakes (doublet earthquakes, as it's known) separated by a mere 39 seconds each on June 24th. They were of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, respectively, and have left unimaginable destruction in their wake.

My family, friends, and I have been incredibly fortunate to escape unharmed, but thousands, if not millions, of people are being affected by this tragedy in various parts of the country, with La Guaira and Caracas being among the worst-affected areas. The country's main airport had to be closed due to the extensive damage it sustained.

Around 800 buildings have collapsed... People have lost everything they had: their homes, their families. The government didn't "take action" until two days after the tragedy; ordinary citizens were the ones carrying out rescue efforts with their bare hands and fingernails while the national authorities did nothing.

There are more than 50,000 people missing to date, most of them are still trapped under the rubble, and the only ones trying to do anything about it are the international rescuers (those who have been able to reach the country, because this corrupt regime is hindering them) and the citizens searching for their family and friends buried under tons of concrete.

Hospitals that have been suffering from resource shortages for almost three decades were filled with supplies within days of the tragedy, thanks to the efforts of citizens who have been donating everything they can across the country. Some of these collection centers have been targeted for closure by the regime under the pretext that it's illegal...

(And no, it's not. By doing that, they're preventing aid from reaching the people who need it most.)

Venezuela lacks the necessary resources to deal with a tragedy of this magnitude: there are no protocols, not enough tools, no heavy machinery, and no effort on the part of the national authorities. We need international aid; we need to help each other because the government won't.

Please, if you can, donate. If you can't, at least please share this and any other posts about this situation with your friends, family, and on social media so that it reaches more people. We need all the help we can get.

DO NOT DONATE TO THE VENEZUELAN RED CROSS! PART OF THEIR FUNDS GO DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ITS CITIZENS!

This link compiles information on reliable fundraising campaigns, organized according to specific needs:

You can also donate to the following reliable sites:

Days later, Celine still hasn’t left her house and suddenly hears banging on her steps. She assumes it’s just an animal or the wind but she still decides to go check and opens the door to the same little demon from before staring at her with a giant grin and basket of fish. Celine is determined to go back into her house and collapse onto her couch but the young demon is determined to thank Celine somehow for saving her life.

(Rumi’s reaction to Celine rejecting her gift)