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Our disaster budgets should acknowledge the fact that the United States represents less than 5 percent of the earth's population. We also need to be generous to the other 95 percent. But too often, we give to those who already have the most. For example, while $2 billion has been raised for hurricane relief and recovery in the United States, American relief agencies report receiving just $30 million in the first five weeks after the Pakistan earthquake. Yes, charity may begin at home. But for globally minded Christians, it shouldn't stay there.

Another approach is to move from mind-numbing disaster relief to hope-inducing disaster reduction. UNESCO and other agencies know that while we can't stop an oncoming hurricane, we can lessen its destructiveness. Most of the estimated 2,000 deaths in Mexico and Central America last fall from Hurricane Stan (a weak storm) came, tragically, when poorly constructed houses and villages simply washed away. Stan's devastation was entirely unnecessary.

In the Kaghan Valley, about six miles from the epicenter of Pakistan's quake, every building but one collapsed—the Christian hospital. Why? In the words of a Christian: "Good construction."

So many people around the world need not only our gospel, but also our science and engineering. Let's bury our compassion fatigue and start meeting their needs in Christ's name.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christianity Today's Deann Alford covered the Pakistan earthquake.

World Relief has more information about its work in Pakistan as well as ways to donate.

Shelter Now has more information about its work in Pakistan and ways to give to its work in the region.

The BBC has more articles on the quake and its aftermath than you could read in an afternoon.

Yahoo's full coverage includes the most recent news on the story.

More CT coverage of Katrina relief and the south Asian tsunami is collected on our site.

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January 2006, Vol. 50, No. 1