Lorax

Thanks greatly to a childhood friend of my parents for their financial support:

Lynne & Dave Molyneaux


 The greatest needs in Haiti, from my reading:
 is areas of reforestation,
permanant potable water supply,
stable and reliable advanced medical care.

I can't accomplish all of these goals in the short time I will be in Haiti, but my spreading the word on the conditions in Haiti, my experiences and blog you can follow will hopefully lead to greater help for the Haitians.

Just like the Lorax says, I can't do this without your help.

There are 14 days left:

Donate Now!

I still need $915.00

Shots & Books & Supplies, Oh My!

All you wonderful people out there who have come out of the wood work to support this Haiti trip, I'm so grateful.

Tobi & Ross Feldman
Angela Haskins
Karen James and family

So many shots to be had, Typhoid, DTaP (for Tetanus), Hep A, Cholera and Malaria pills.
I'm taking more doses of meds in a two month period than I ever have.
My arms are a little sore but so far so good.
Only Cholera and Malaria left.

I have thought in the past not so highly of childhood vaccines but I've come to understand the reason behind vaccines.  PREVENTION!  Well, my daughter might respond with a "duh, mom"!  I'm so happy to know I can travel to an impoverished country and be safe from many illnesses that kill Haitians; young and old, all the time due to lack of medical resources and not being able to afford them.

As the days grow closer, I plan to finish the book I'm reading "Haiti after the Earthquake" by Paul Farmer.  I am making lists of the supplies I need, plan for suitcases to carry clothes and school supplies.
Helping to make possible my 4H club's bake sale that will also raise money for this expedition.
Coordinate my children's schedule while I'm gone.

Oh My!

My goal is:      $2,000.00
My total raised : $915.00
Still to raise:     $1,085.00

If you plan to donate, my deadline is March 15.
Thanks

Carving Our Own Path

Once again I'm amazed and grateful for all of the supportive friends and family in my life:

Kristie Snyder & Glen Robertson
Elisabeth & Jon Harrod
Val & Bill Lalime
Keith & Ann Lalime

I've raised $785 thus far.  Working towards the 1/2 way point.

                                                                                ~

Yesterday I had a lovely day with my kids.  The morning I spent with Siera, we played games, made valentines and then ventured into the snow covered woods.  She spotted some tracks.  She was guessing they were cat tracks, maybe raccoon.  She said, "Come on mom, let's follow them".  Reluctantly I followed crouching under low branches, through briars, while hitting my head and trying to keep up with Siera's excitement.  I followed her lead, she found a few hiding spots that this invisible creature stayed in, slept in, found protection in, who knows?  More tracks, she looked and kept following. 

Later that day, I went to pick up Hana from an outdoor primitive living program.  She said, "Come on mom, let me show you what we did in the woods today".  This time, not so reluctantly, I followed.  She led. She followed the tracks that her clan made earlier that day, to retrace her location.  She slid down a snow covered hill, walked across brittle ice on a stream, well actually crushed while jumping the ice as we crossed.  She tracked her way back to a fire that she had helped to build just moments before.  She attempted to show me how to start a friction fire.

As I was following Hana, my mind traveled back to the woods adventure with Siera, following the paw prints.  I kaleidoscoped out to thoughts of my own adventure and focus on traveling to Haiti.  I was in a moment of seeing the different stages that surround me.  A 9 year old full of carefree adventure and exploration.  A 12 year old in the whirlpool of adolescence.  Some days full of adventure and pretend and other days striving for maturity, independence and responsibility. Me, a mom entangled in the roles of mother, wife, and teacher (among other things) wanting an adventure in the larger woods of life.  I realized that no matter our stage or age, we are all carving our own path as we go.

Imagine This...

First and foremost, I want to thank these wonderful contributors to my fundraiser:

Alison Christie and Thomson Terry
Maria Rider
Mary Lalime & Ed Mueller

So far I've raised $560.00.  I'm 1/4 of the way there.

I'm reaching out to friends, family and my community for financial support. My goal is $2,000. 

Any extra will be put towards filling luggage with school supplies, medical supplies and clothes for the children at http://wingsofrefugehaiti.com/..

Donation Amount                                    Incentives

$25 & under                                            Handwritten thank you
$50                                                           Homemade friendship bracelet & thank you
$100                                                         Haitian momento & thank you
$250 & above                                          Hand chosen art piece from Haiti & thank you

*All donators will be recognized on the blog. (unless otherwise noted)

Imagine this:

Aboriginales of Haiti living a simple life, eating sweet potatos, a root called "manioc" and corn.  Imagine this culture with industrialization, before it's time, of axes for carving out boats, making pottery and fishing.  Imagine a people that are leisurely, have fun and joyously, assuredly sing songs.  These were the natives to Haiti that are no longer there.

 Sadly the Spanish worked the natives so hard, digging gold mines and for other precious riches.  The Haitians weren't accustomed to this type of work and they died by the thousands. Resulting in their exterminated by "Columbus and the first wave of European explorers" around 1492.

Much has happened since then, slaves from Africa were brought to Haiti to work for the French in order to farm and harvest the sugar fields and work in the factories.  To this day the forests have been almost eradicated, leaving horrid growing conditions, with continued soil layers eroding into the sea.  Their planting methods are ancient, and the irrigation system is swallowed up by on-going erosion. 

With a population of 7,000,000 people living in 11,000 square miles.  That's approx. 650 people  per square mile. It's impossible to grow enough food for the entire population.  Some immigrate to other countries to make money to send home; the rest have sparse meals, maybe one meal every other day.  

The more I talk, read and learn about Haiti, I'm realizing the more I know about Haiti's past the better equipped I will be.  

My resources: Voodoo in Haiti by Dr. Andre Louis,  http://www.pih.org/pages/ihsj-issue-haiti