Friday~January 15, 2010
I started to write this long flowery post about my love for Haiti and Troy and Tara Livesay, my blog friends that have been living in Port Au Prince for four years. Then I was going to go on and talk about how Troy and Tara and I have a mutual friend in Kristen Howerton, and she happened to be in Haiti when the earthquake hit, visiting the son she and her husband have been waiting to bring home through adoption. I was going to write about all I’ve learned from coming to know these people. I was going to go on and on about my guilt. Because Tara invited me to come with Kristen on this very trip to Haiti and I said no because we were moving and I had this blogging event and…
Then I deleted it because really, why am I telling MY stories right now?
Why am I trying to convince you of how very connected I am to Haiti? Isn’t that just a way of making it personal, all about me, and then begging you to help my island?
It isn’t mine, it’s theirs. And theirs and theirs and theirs and theirs…
The only way it’s mine or ours is if we care like they do and do something about it like they do.
Please follow along as The Livesays and Howertons tell their stories and send them your love, your thoughts and your prayers. (Both Kristen and Tara are able to post to their blogs now, but may not have Internet for long. As I’ve read their stories these last couple of days, I’m blown away by what this must be like for them, as mothers. Being separated from your children (or husband) with no certainty that you will all be OK is its very own kind of torture. I’m so sorry.)
Troy and Tara’s blog – Livesay[Haiti]weblog
The Howerton Family blog – {Rage Against the Minivan}
You can also follow Troy on Twitter
Clicking on any of the links above will lead you to ways you can help.
Or on this one:
Please also notice the button Help for Haiti in my sidebar. If you’re a blogger, there are some really great social media packages up for grabs, including chances to have your blog featured on some very well-read sites. There are blog design packages available too. Click the button in the sidebar to learn more about that.
Also, if you live in or near the Twin Cities, there is a benefit dinner being held on Friday, January 22nd to raise money for the For His Glory orphanage from 5-8pm at Calvary Lutheran Church on Hamline Avenue in St. Paul. RSVP to: scullysj(at)gmail(dot)com
please spread the word in the comments.
Anything, big or small, I’d love to know about it.
Thank you!
{ 12 comments }
Thanks for spreading the word, Heather. I think we all feel a bit helpless in times like this, but this is a great start at spreading the word!
I'm glad you're safe and pray for all those who aren't/weren't.
I was just getting ready to e-mail you about the benefit dinner in the
Twin Cities next week, when I saw you had it already. (Any chance you'd come to town for that? I'm guessing no, because you need to stay home. But I'm going.)
Since Corey works with nonprofits, and many of them are on the ground in Haiti, I did a post today featuring two of them. If people are looking for more organizations who do relief work and who desperately need help, these are good ones. I really can't say enough good things about them.
I will go read those places you suggested. Such a tragedy. I can't even imagine living through such a thing. WE all have to help each other in any way we can —even if it is just a prayer. There is power in prayer.
also, Last night I tried to leave a comment on your post below and was having "computer issues".
But, what I was going to say was January is sometimes a time to rest/reflect —then with spring comes an energy for action. enjoy winters time
Thanks for the links Heather – and I loved what you had to say about not making it about you…
Heather, even in this post you don't want to write, you still have so much heart. All those things you feel like are about you–they're not. What they are is your heart, your kindness, and your giant capacity to give.
Thank you for connecting us to the important things, the good things, the things that help my heart grow. I'll do what I can.
God Bless.
Cheap Joe's (cheapjoes.com) is donating 5% of their sales today to Haiti, as well as allowing others to give straight donations in just $5 increments to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). This group’s overhead is funded on a year-round basis so any monies that are given go directly to the project – *100%* to the Haitian effort.
Bless you, Heather, for your beautiful heart and for finding ways for the rest of us to stretch ours a little.
I donated to Red Cross right away. I am consumed with thinking about the horror that is going on there and will be for so long now. Thanks for spreading the word.
My number 1 fave: Doctors Without Borders. Their work is HUGE and hugely important. Here's the donation link for Haiti relief:
https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=197&hbc=1&source=ADR1001E1D01
If you need more info, lemmeno, I've got oodles on this one…
Rock on fund raisers!!! :)
xo, crock
Heather, you are awesome. Truly.
It's awful what has happened over there and it's beautiful to see how many people want to help.
Thanks fro the information Heather.
I will look into the ads for my sidebar.
sometimes I think I step back and tell myself I can't handle the sadness.. its like a protection of sorts.. maybe its selfishness to try to ignore it.
Great post Heather!
I can't even imagine living through such a thing. WE all have to help each other in any way we can —even if it is just a prayer. There is power in prayer.
Work from home India
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