Our cancelled trip with my mom to Haiti in January did not stop her from pursuing a trip to Haiti and finding a way to help the people there. Late May she spent over a week with Helping Hands to Haiti. They spent time in Port-au-Prince and a nearby village, delivering donations, discovering needs, and offering a Bible School. When she returned, the kids and I headed to Sioux Falls to help with a mission project at her church. The community had donated hundreds of bags of t-shirts that would be cut into strips and crocheted into mats for mothers and their children in Haiti. During the event, various adoptive parents shared their experiences. The kids were able to listen to me share a slideshow and tell their story. I was a little leary at first and told them they could wait in another room. I explained that parts of the story were kinda sad and new...and that people would all look at them as I shared details. Pierre smiled and said, "People always look. It's ok." Ange-Laurette added, "Oh, I've heard the story MANY times!" So, they were there and hanging on every word.
I was so touched by the dozens of people who just heard about the project from the newspaper and came over to work for a couple hours out of their Saturday. It just plain feels good to be able to do something so tangible for such a desperate people a world away. I am proud of my parents and their commitment to mission work, but especially for their heart for Haiti. They not only care...but they are DOING something so vital for this place and time.
