Real Hope for Haiti

I read this very sobering post a few weeks ago and wanted to re-post it here but didn't have a chance to until now.  Take a minute to read it and process it.  

The need for supplies sounds tremendous.  There is a volunteer in the US who is helping to collect supplies and ship them to Haiti in a container.  If you'd like to contribute, read this post for details.  They have "wish lists" of needed supplies on Target.com and Walmart.com.  The registries are under the name Debbie Woodward.

The thought of patients lying on cardboard on the ground was a hard one for me to swallow so I sent a cot from the Walmart.com list.  Wish I could have bought 20 more.

Lord, help me to remember to pray for the patients at the Cholera House, as well as those are who are serving with Real Hope for Haiti.   

A Good Reality Check

For a good dose of reality, read this post:  http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/2010/04/family.html

As we drift off to sleep in our warm beds tonight and every night, let us not forget... 

"Tamales for Haiti" at The GreenHouse

It all started with a question: "How can we help Haiti?"  A fifth grader replied, "We could sell tamales."

Soon after, the vision spread throughout the community.  Six moms signed-on to make almost 300 homemade tamales.

The outpouring of generosity and participation was humbling.  

The delicious tamales were sold at Sanctuary Covenant Church for $2 each.  Community Presbyterian Church in Danville donated cash towards the effort.   

In the end, the Tamales for Haiti project raised just over $1000 for Heartline Ministries in Haiti!!

Wow.  It's one thing to learn about Asset Based Community Development and Christian Community Development principles such as Empowerment.  It's quite another to see them in action. 

An idea from the community, relevant to the community, using the gifts of the community - what a powerful impact it makes! 

Super Bowl Party with a Cause

I saw a terrific idea on another blog and wanted to share it here: If you're having a Super Bowl Party this Sunday put out an empty bowl on the food table and ask your guests to donate any used giftcards from their wallet or purse.  Then, mail the giftcards to Give Card Giver who will compile them and send them to HOPE International, an organization working on the ground in Haiti to help rebuild.  Simple!

 

Now I Know

Before the earthquake in Haiti, I knew very little about the country.  I didn't know that it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of its people living below the poverty line.  I didn't know about its painful history, frequent natural disasters, or its hundreds of thousands of orphans (which now might be close to a million?).  I didn't know about its utter void in basic infrastructure.  How did I not know these things?  Has my head been completely in the sand?

When you don't know about something, it's easy to dismiss it. 

But now I know...we all know.  And, now I can't dismiss it.  I can't erase the images I've seen over the last few weeks from my mind.  They've left quite an impression on my heart. 

I have no idea how to process all of this or what this means going forward.  But, I do know that I (we) can't forget about Haiti.  As the stories on the news turn to something else, we need to remember the beautiful people of Haiti, as well as those who are on the ground, working day and night to bring love and healing to a country in pain.