The extent of destruction and loss in Haiti is only now coming into focus, and its true measure will not be known for months, maybe years, to come.

But as we have learned from so many tragedies past, these are the times when the very best of human nature — our capacity for love and all that love makes possible — rises in defiance of the horror.

The face of love is present in the picture on the right — love in the eyes and smile of two-year old Redjeson Claude for his mother, whom he is seeing for the first time after being trapped alone for two days in the rubble, love on the faces of the emergency personnel and neighbors who risked their own lives to search for survivors. You can see a powerful four-photo gallery of his rescue on the Huffington Post Haiti news page (you will have to scroll down the page to find the gallery, as the news page is being updated throughout the day).

Love is also present in communities across the globe, far from Haiti, where millions of people have rallied to donate dearly-needed emergency supplies and funds to Haiti.

Despite the inconceivably harsh and inhumane statements by some of this country’s loudest political voices discouraging their followers from donating to the rescue and rebuilding efforts (click here, and here, if you are interested to see just how sickeningly small some “leaders” can be), all reports seem to indicate that the world has come together to help Haiti weather this devastating blow.

Even one of this country’s poorest communities — the farmworker community of Immokalee — is doing its part. Enlisting our low-power radio station, Radio Conciencia, in the cause, CIW members have launched a donation drive. We will join others doing the same here in Immokalee in sending all that we collect to Haiti through the Red Cross this coming Monday (in the photo above, CIW members erect a sign outside the CIW headquarters in Immokalee publicizing the donation drive).

The response has been overwhelming. Seeing farmworkers — who are themselves suffering unemployment and economic crisis due to two weeks of freezing temperatures that destroyed crops across south Florida — stream into the office with water, clothes, and canned food is nothing short of inspiring.

If you haven’t done so already, please let Immokalee’s efforts inspire you, too, to donate today to Haiti’s recovery. If you are interested in donating to the relief efforts, Zanmi Lasante (or “Partners in Health” by its English name, the superb community-based health organization led by our friend and fellow RFK Human Rights Award laureate Loune Vlaud) is a place where you can rest assured that your donation will be put to good and effective use. Click here if you would like to make a donation.

Thank you.