Real Hope for Haiti Dress Party

My cousin, Jodi, decided to host a dress making party for Real Hope for Haiti. It was a great success. People donated fabric, sewing machines, and time.

You can read about it here. My mom is in one of the pictures. She isn't the sleeping baby. That's my adorable third cousin and Jodi's adorable daughter.

I think Jodi should come to Plano so we can have a dress party here. What do you think?

My dad's in Haiti

My dad flew to Haiti today. I'm so proud of him. He will be there for a week with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

It's one of those things where I'm very happy that he is physically able to go, but I'm sad that there is such a horrible need. Haiti was in terrible condition before the earthquake. I've watched the videos and seen the pictures of the devastation and I know they really just catch a glimpse of the nightmare with which the Haitians are dealing.

In the last few years my parents have been volunteering in disaster relief. My mom spent extremely long hours in Galveston and Tyler making sure people got fed. Dad made a trip to Iowa to help out after the flood there. They've made other trips too, plus had hours and hours of training.

Some people think that what they are doing is crazy, helping people they don't even know. Some people make nasty comments about the people they are reaching out to, because they don't feel the victims deserve help. I say they are being the hands and feet of Christ. They are living out Micah 6:8 and Matthew 25.

My parents and I don't agree on a lot of things. We have different views about many things. There are some subjects that are best to be avoided. But, this is something we do agree on. If you can go and help, then go. If you have the means to go, then go. The small, little world you leave to go minister to someone else will still be there when you get back. It might be a little different when you get back. You will be a whole lot different. But, for the better.

To find out ways you can help in Haiti see any of the below:
RHFH Rescue Center
Compassion International
World Vision
Hands and Feet

These two involve family members. The sewing project is by my cousin, Jodi. Lovely, easy idea. The other one, for Red Cross, has my son in it.

Sewing Day
hitRECord & Red Cross

All I Can Pray for Over and Over is Wisdom

I can't sleep, which is a little weird because I take medicine to sleep. Haiti is very heavy on my mind. It's funny how you can feel numb and burdened at the same time. The last few years Haiti has been on my radar. Somehow I found blogs of people either ministering there or involved with organizations on the ground and have been following the progress of whatever they're working on. Sometimes I feel like I actually know them and I've been blessed to actually meet some of them. I was part of a music festival last summer that raised funds for a Haiti project.

So, back to being numb and burdened. I haven't let all my walls down and completely grieved. That probably would have happened if the word had not come that the people I "know" are okay, for now. Then I got an email from Shaun for the Compassion Bloggers. It was a bit overwhelming.

• Sadly, we anticipate there will be many deaths.
• We anticipate thousands of children and families will have lost everything.
• We anticipate many of our church-based child development centers will have been destroyed.

But, I guess when you're feeling numb things can push you to the edge easier. That email did push me. Then, he put it in his blog and did a very good job. So, I would highly encourage you to go there to read it.

I've been reading and watching about how the airport is tied up, fuel is running out, and the seaport is demolished. And all I can pray, over and over, is "God give them wisdom. Give everyone involved wisdom. Wisdom of creativity to move debris quickly without much machinery. Wisdom in medicine to move correctly and precisely. Wisdom in engineering to get supplies where they need to be in an efficient manner. Wisdom of organization for all efforts to run smoothly. Wisdom to act in a way that is helpful both physically and spiritually."

If you want to learn more about the people I have followed for a few years click below.
Aaron Ivey
Compassion
Dreaming Big Dreams
The Livesay Haiti Weblog
Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center
Hands and Feet Project

I think I can go to sleep now. God, give them wisdom.

Gifts - Getting and Giving

Oh, the time of year when everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. And why? I'm not sure, but I think it is due to tradition. And I firmly believe that traditions should not make us run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

I, personally, don't like getting gifts unless I know they have been well thought out or handmade with a lot of love. My immediate family and close friends know this and my husband and three oldest kids understand that I would much prefer them to give to a charity in my name than give me something they bought at the last second just to get me something. My youngest daughter will probably never understand and my 13 year old just thinks I'm crazy. But then, his love language is gifts. Obviously, it's not mine.

So, if you have someone in your family or group of friends that is weird like me, here are some gift suggestions:

TOMS Shoes - Can't go wrong here. Two gifts for the price of one. For every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Watch the video. Buy the shoes.


Another amazing company is 25 Cloth. They are out to bring change to a hurting world and they are doing it. You can be a part of it. This quarter, for every t-shirt (and man, do they have some cute ones) you purchase you are changing the lives of those living in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Over 40% of the proceeds from Ike relief shirts and 25% of all other shirts go towards providing food, building supplies, clothes, and other necessities to the victims.

If your gift recipient has a heart for children then check out the following organizations:

Compassion International - The giving choices through this group are numerous & far reaching.
Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center - These folks are on the front lines battling poverty.
Love146 - Help them save children from the jaws of pure evil.

Sponsors Needed

Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center needs people to sponsor pallets for a shipment to Haiti.

"We still need 23 sponsors to help get the container here to Haiti. We have lots of medicine, food, peanut butter, clothes, shoes, baby formula, etc that are ready to come." Licia

Learn more here.

Maybe your office, softball team, golf buddies, Bible study group, etc...could sponsor a pallet or two.

Where Do You Start?

The following is from the Livesay's Haiti blog.

Please consider adding the entire Zachary Family to your daily prayer list. Licia reports that Lori and her husband Charles will return to Haiti next week. They have lost all of their belongings and will need to help their neighbors face loss too. THANK YOU to those of you who contacted Jamie and/or donated. At this very moment it is honestly so overwhelming for Licia that they are trying to determine WHICH needs to tackle first. The water was a big one and they have filters now so they can filter the dirty water and make it safe to drink. The water was so powerful it destroyed roads, moved vehicles and bridges and entire homes.

Haiti Hit Hard

and will any media here even cover it? Please read Aaron's posts about the devastation Hurricane Ike has done to Haiti. Being one of the poorest places in the world already, this leaves Haiti in beyond dire straights.

Aaron has provided link information for paypal accounts if you want to help out the Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center. There are also pictures of a small part of the damage.

Today a bunch of people were demolishing the student ministry room in preparation of a 30 years in the making makeover. The chaos was much and the mess was much. I found it overwhelming...I cannot begin to wrap my mind around what it would be like to have to crawl out of what the RHFH staff is dealing with. There aren't any government agencies they can call. There isn't any hotel the government will put them and the rescued children in. There is no FEMA to even pretend to help them.

If you can...please help.