Haiti on my heart.....

As news coverage fades and people return to what was normal for them and try to forget the tragedy that happened in Haiti, my heart swims with the desire to help. For fear of sounding like a broken record... Haiti NEEDS our help.. will NEED our help for years if not decades to come. We in North America are in a position to help in a powerful way and likely not feel the pinch of it, and you know what, so what if we do feel a little pinch, sometimes feeling the hurt, suffering and tragedy of others makes us better because of that experience. Remember our little "pinch" is nothing in comparison.

I am blessed with a wide circle of friends and acquaintances people who have crossed my path, walked a while, or are still trudging with me in this journey called life. Amazing people with stories to tell, hearts that want to help and creative ways to make that happen.

Natasha, a friend and former employee at Remember Me was part of a "FlashMob" Dance at a local mall last week - done for fun as well as in hopes to raise $$$ to send to Haiti. Check out You Tube here to see the dance, but also to be counted as a viewer. They are hoping to have corporate sponsorship match dollar for dollar the number of views the video receives. It will only take a few minutes of your time and is fun to watch.

Another friend Jacki has asked me to help on another amazing adventure - Saturday Feb 20 & Sunday Feb 21 - a container truck will be located at Coquitlam Center to collect diapers, formula, powdered baby food etc to send to Haiti. They have a sponsor to cover the $10,000 shipping costs, connections in the Dominican Republic who will get the goods to orphanages in Haiti where help is desperately needed. For more information see the Facebook Events page that has been set up, Tricities Helping Haiti's Babies. We are hoping to fill the 40 foot trailer (also donated) in those 2 days and have it shipped ASAP. The Facebook events page lists specific items being accepted.

Just two more little ways we can help that honestly will not pinch us too much.

On a happy note, our friends who have been awaiting their arrival of 2 Haitian boys are pinching themselves to make sure they are not living in a dream. After 4.5 long years of waiting, piles and piles of paperwork, trips to visit, sad goodbyes the boys are safe in their arms. They arrived this past week in Ottawa, where Jen and Travis flew to meet their plane and welcome them to Canada. This is just the beginning of the journey for this family, please continue to pray as they adjust to life together, it is all new and though they ecstatic to have the boys here with them, the reality is the boys come from a different culture, have seen things that many of us can not even imagine and are now in an environment that is totally foreign to them..... the journey will be long but one filled with hope and tons of love.

It is good to know that some good can come out of such tragedy... 2 small boys in the arms of their new mamma and daddy or those of us who have been challenged to give and who are blessed in knowing that even just a little bit we have been able to be a part of something much bigger than our normal narrow everyday lives.

A super easy way to help and offer HOPE

Help Haiti..... it will only take a minute of time (serriously, you will never miss the minute!) GO now. Please!

http://www.one.org/international/actnow/haiti/

Then pass it on to all you know - we can help make a difference to so many.
That's all for today.

Hatti......

I have been stewing over what to write in regards to the situation in Haiti. I do not even know where to begin..... so I will start with a link to Jen's blog " A Nickle's worth of Common Sense". Jen is a cousin by marriage, a woman with a huge heart and one who spent time in Haiti many years ago. Go see the video that she put together it is worth 4 min of your time.

My heart aches!



I can not fathom this level of despair.



I want to help.



We have in small monetary ways.



We pray.... I know it all helps, but I want to do more. It seems so insignificant.... I am speechless, I look at images, I want to wrap my arms around those who are young who have lost parents, parents who have lost children....



I read of locals who sit and wait to hear from loved ones who are there - communication is sparse.



I have never been to Haiti, but know people who have... Who's stories have pierced my heart.



I have friends who are in (and have been for quite sometime) process of adopting 2 boys from a Haitian orphanage, who fear they will have to start the process all over again because their paperwork is likely buried under tons of twisted steel and concrete.



Thankfully they have heard that the boys are o.k. . This is good news - but o.k. somewhat a relevant term. The orphanage they call home is damaged, food and water supplies scarce... but they are o.k. physically. Emotional scars from such a tragedy will be deep and long term.



Here in Canada we really have no idea, even the poorest of poor can not grasp not knowing where they can get a glass of water. Right now in Hatti the MAJORITY of the population does not have access to a glass of water..... think about that. We want water, we turn a knob and have water. INSTANTLY....



Last week our water was cut off for about 2 hours due to an "OOPS" by some guys working on some pipes., we were wondering how dinner would come together, if we should flush or not flush, and how long we would be inconvenienced - how petty on my part I think those worries are now in light of this tragedy.



I encourage you to step out, to give to help. To give out of your great wealth to help where the need is great.... there are lots of great organizations that are already there in Hatti, on the ground in the middle of it all who are set up to help.



World Vision (Donations made before Feb 12, will be met dollar for dollar by the Canadian Government - that means your dollar will go twice as far to help)
Christian Reform Mission (this is the organization that Jen refers to in her video - the Church she goes)
Compassion Canada
Red Cross
Samaritan's Purse (These are the people who distribute the Operation Christmas Child boxes at Christmas time - world wide)
Salvation Army
His Home (This is the orphanage that our friends boys call home, for now! Hopefully soon Burnaby will be home.)

I encourage you to step up, to give, to help. To give out of your great wealth to help where the need is great. Donations of any size can make a difference. The organizations listed above are reputable, there in Haiti right now offering aid, they can be trusted. They are registered charities and in most cases donations will be issued a tax receipt.

I know that there are many other great things happening to help all in Haiti. It is not important how you give or through whom, what is important is that we do. Heck, even Walmart is taking donations to be sent via the Red Cross. I found that out when I went to return a duplicate DVD we received at Christmas, I just turned around and told them to give the refund cash to the Haiti efforts... I certainly did not miss $$ it was painless, and the least I could do.
What will you do?