What seemed like worlds away, the earthquake devastation in Haiti hit home Tuesday.

A local pastor and store owner and his wife lost eight family members because the buildings their were in collapsed as the earthquake hit Port-au-Prince last week.

The sorrow of Claude and Eunide LaFortune was evident, yet they showed grace while expressing an urgency in their desire to help and to learn more of the fate of others. The LaFortunes lead the Haitian First Baptist Church in Bainbridge and they operate the Bible Thift Store on Scott Street.

Even though the Haitians need food, water and other basic necessities now, getting it there is far more challenging, and also impractical from this standpoint.

With the local connection of the LaFortunes, perhaps local donations could be directed to assist targeted victims of this tragedy.

Let’s put our heads together while we’re thinking of those in Haiti.