Help for Haiti’s Orphans

It’s devastating. Just to see the pictures. The destruction and despair on people’s faces. Those are real people. Real people. Like you and me.

I’m sure we all know someone who’s been affected by the earthquake in Haiti. One of the neighborhood boys (he’s Haitian) that hangs are our house from time to time was over here yesterday getting help with his homework. We were talking to him about the earthquake and if he still knew anyone there. He did. Had he heard from them yet? No. Who were they? His mom and sister.

I have a friend who arrived in Haiti the morning of the earthquake to spend 3 weeks working at an orphanage (God’s Littlest Angels).  Needless to say things have changed quite a bit since then. Everyone at the orphanage is fine and the structure is still stable, but the workers are few and tired. Many of the local nannies have gone to check on their own families.

We’ve been getting updates through her sister over the last few days. The most recent was that her sister, Annette, decided to stay to help at the orphanage, even though the US military at the airport said it was “get out now or never.”

They have enough food for now, but are getting concerned about their water and fuel supplies. They’re up in the mountains and apparently it’s not easy to get there and more people are beginning to find their way there.

They are now having to ration their water and some of the staff went into town to look for water and couldn’t find any.  Please pray for her and the staff.

A Tangible Way to Help the Orphans

I was just able to chat with Annette on FB for a few minutes. She asked me to spread the word about something very practical that we can all do.

Haiti’s current adoption laws require adoptive parents to make several trips to Haiti in order to sign paperwork, etc. There are many such adoptive parents there now, who are in the process of adoption, but don’t have all the papers yet. Annette said there are many parents at her orphanage alone who are desperate to bring their babies home where they will be safe.

There has been some talk about the US granting humanitarian visas for all Haitian children who are in the process of adoption. PLEASE CALL your senators, congressmen, the state department, the Red Cross…every organization you can think of, and ask them to act quickly on behalf of these children by authorizing these visas.

Now if someone like me, who is a total wet fish when it comes to calling even people she knows can do this, I think you can, too. Who knows what kind of disease, civil unrest, or famine is going to spread through Haiti in the coming weeks and months, not to mention the thousands of children who will need what the orphanages can provide. Please call, please pray that these children who have forever families will be allowed to come home, and please spread the word by calling your local news stations, by e-mail, by posting on Facebook and Twitter, and whatever else you can think of!

If you want a  form letters for e-mailing to relief organizations, news sources, and government officials, leave a comment letting me know and I’ll e-mail it to you.

Pray, pray, pray…but remember Jesus also called us to be hands and feet! You can give through the Red Cross, Compassion, etc.

Join in helping with other bloggers

Many bloggers are posting about different ways you can help Haiti right now and donating a $.25 – $1 per comment or link about what you’re doing to help.

Crystal @ Money Saving Mom: Help for Haiti – Everyone Can Do Something

Myra @ My Blessed Life: Help for Haiti – A Time to Give

Mary Jo @ Covenant Homemaking: Help for Haiti

Alyssa @ Keeping the Kingdom First: Help for Haiti – Bloggers Take Action

All in all there are 45 bloggers willing to donate on your behalf. You can check out the full list at Money Saving Mom. A little can go a long way!

‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ ”Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ’And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ’When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ”The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:35-40

Tagged as: Compassion, Haiti, Help for Haiti, orphans