I just read an email from my brother who is coordinating the project that I am going on to Haiti (although he is not actually going on the trip because of a broken shoulder!) and he informed us that his colleagues in Haiti have confirmed that over 300 people are planning on attending one of our one-day workshops in Cap Haitian. He heard that the need is so great that the response has been much higher than they originally expected.
There was an article in this morning's Globe & Mail that underlies the importance of the work that we have been asked to do. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/haiti/project-jacmel/invisible-scars-haunt-haitis-quake-survivors/article1483614/
The invisible scars that many Haitians are carrying around will be a challenge for years to come - my prayer is that the training sessions we can offer will help equip a few teachers, pastors and leaders to accompany people who are grieving and facing post-traumatic stress.
On a personal note - Marc is on his way to Malaysia. He left last evening and has a 27 hour trip to make before arriving in Kuala Lumpur sometime tonight. The girls are now in the Ottawa area where they will be staying with their loving aunts and grandma who will be spoiling them for the week. Everything is coming together for the trip and all the arrangements that had to be made.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Getting ready to go!
Today I received cards from the children of several of the schools that I work in. These kids had spent hours creating beautiful cards with messages of hope and concern for the children of Haiti. One girl who is in grade 6 handed me a bag with four home-made dolls that she had made for me to take to Haiti. I was so touched by their love and concern.
I have been buying supplies and collecting the items that my friends and colleagues have been donating. It is quite overwhelming. I am hoping that I do not surpass my luggage limits. I am trying to bring the bear minimum myself in terms of clothes and personal items in order to max out on items that I can leave behind for the Haitians.
Yesterday we had a special visit from Georges Laraque (for those who do not follow hockey he was a Montreal Canadian and he is a spokesperson for World Vision) come to the high school to thank the students for raising money for Haiti. He was so gracious and just encouraged kids by playing ball hockey with them! It was great!
I still have a lot to do before I leave but as each day passes I am feeling more and more blessed to be part of this team to do this project!
I have been buying supplies and collecting the items that my friends and colleagues have been donating. It is quite overwhelming. I am hoping that I do not surpass my luggage limits. I am trying to bring the bear minimum myself in terms of clothes and personal items in order to max out on items that I can leave behind for the Haitians.
Yesterday we had a special visit from Georges Laraque (for those who do not follow hockey he was a Montreal Canadian and he is a spokesperson for World Vision) come to the high school to thank the students for raising money for Haiti. He was so gracious and just encouraged kids by playing ball hockey with them! It was great!
I still have a lot to do before I leave but as each day passes I am feeling more and more blessed to be part of this team to do this project!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Overwhelmed by the generosity
A couple weeks ago my colleagues at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board and I had the joy to present World Vision with a cheque of over $35,000 to help with their relief efforts in Haiti. This money came from children across our school board who gave money to help the people of Haiti. There were children who were bringing in their piggy banks and taking money from their savings in order to help out. One young boy gave his Christmas money that he was saving to buy a computer. It was amazing. In total our school board raised over $53,000 to help Haiti!
As I have been getting ready to go to Haiti myself I have been so touched by the response of people. Students are writing cards and letters for the children of Haiti, the high schools where I work have donated money for me to buy pharmaceutical supplies, my church collecting supplies for me to take along, my colleagues bringing in toothpaste, crayons and hand-sanitizer! It is amazing.
I know I am not going alone - I am going with the thoughts and prayers of each of my friends and family members!
As I have been getting ready to go to Haiti myself I have been so touched by the response of people. Students are writing cards and letters for the children of Haiti, the high schools where I work have donated money for me to buy pharmaceutical supplies, my church collecting supplies for me to take along, my colleagues bringing in toothpaste, crayons and hand-sanitizer! It is amazing.
I know I am not going alone - I am going with the thoughts and prayers of each of my friends and family members!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Why am I going to Haiti?
When people hear that I am going to Haiti for a week there is a mixture of surprise and excitement. I am not a doctor or a nurse, I have no training in disaster relief, I do not work for a relief organization. I am a wife, a mother and a Spiritual Animator. What do I have to offer? I guess my answer to that question is that I can try to offer help and consolation to grieving children and their families. My goal is to help train some teachers and pastors to work alongside children who have gone through tragedy.
In the past few weeks I have seen people respond with such incredible generosity and compassion for the people of Haiti. Everyone can make a difference. Children from my schools were bringing in their piggy banks and donating their allowance money. These children are making a difference. When asked if I could go to Haiti, these children inspired me to try to do something to make a difference.
I am going with a team of counselors, pastors and others (like myself) who have training and experience in accompanying people in the grief process. We will be split into teams of two or three people and we will be providing several one-day training sessions to Haitians. The people who have been setting up our visit told us that the Haitians are anxious to get additional tools and resources to help their friends and family who have lost loved ones. Our little group of grief counselors will try our best to help them. There are several of these seminars already planned for the week we are there, but when we get to Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitian other opportunities for training and counseling will probably open up and hopefully we will be in the position to respond.
I am going for seven days - not very long in light of the despair and need in Haiti at this point. But I cannot go for a longer period of time. My daughters agree that I should go to Haiti, but it will not be easy for us - I know my limits and theirs! I hope and pray that the seven short days will make a small difference in the lives of the people I am in contact with. Haiti will change my life - I need to be ready for that!
This blog is to keep the people I know and love informed of my trip and what I am experiencing. I know I have a privilege that many other people would love to take advantage of. I do not take it lightly that I have been invited to go and that I have this opportunity. For me, this trip is a mission. I believe that God has opened this opportunity for me to go and I need do what I can. I pray that I will be able to make even a small difference and will be able to bring a little hope and comfort to the people, especially the children, of Haiti.
In the past few weeks I have seen people respond with such incredible generosity and compassion for the people of Haiti. Everyone can make a difference. Children from my schools were bringing in their piggy banks and donating their allowance money. These children are making a difference. When asked if I could go to Haiti, these children inspired me to try to do something to make a difference.
I am going with a team of counselors, pastors and others (like myself) who have training and experience in accompanying people in the grief process. We will be split into teams of two or three people and we will be providing several one-day training sessions to Haitians. The people who have been setting up our visit told us that the Haitians are anxious to get additional tools and resources to help their friends and family who have lost loved ones. Our little group of grief counselors will try our best to help them. There are several of these seminars already planned for the week we are there, but when we get to Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitian other opportunities for training and counseling will probably open up and hopefully we will be in the position to respond.
I am going for seven days - not very long in light of the despair and need in Haiti at this point. But I cannot go for a longer period of time. My daughters agree that I should go to Haiti, but it will not be easy for us - I know my limits and theirs! I hope and pray that the seven short days will make a small difference in the lives of the people I am in contact with. Haiti will change my life - I need to be ready for that!
This blog is to keep the people I know and love informed of my trip and what I am experiencing. I know I have a privilege that many other people would love to take advantage of. I do not take it lightly that I have been invited to go and that I have this opportunity. For me, this trip is a mission. I believe that God has opened this opportunity for me to go and I need do what I can. I pray that I will be able to make even a small difference and will be able to bring a little hope and comfort to the people, especially the children, of Haiti.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
