The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter.
~Author Unknown
Today, I was hit with some, hmm, let’s just say bumpy news and some rough patches and issues in my personal life. It was all very upsetting and very confusing and very frustrating … I wanted to cry, to yell at the person involved, hug them and then shake them and tell them to smarten up all at the same time … while I was going through this wide range of emotions, my heart and mind were quickly transported back to the Haitian village I recently visited. I remember, quite clearly, the sick children, the rotting poverty, the unfair political treatment, the look of despair on a mother’s face when she realized she could not afford to purchase food for her children … and all my troubles and all my anxieties flew out the window.
Wow.
How petty our little problems are, how insignificant our shallow fights may be … when across the world – or even just downtown in our own city – someone is fighting to keep their baby alive … someone is mourning the death of a loved one … someone is watching their husband writhe in pain from an illness that has taken over their body …
Today, in the Haitian village in the Dominican, random men and women were ripped from their homes, loaded on a big truck and sent back to Haiti … no warning … children left motherless, wives left husbandless … I cannot even imagine.
Please read Rachel’s newest blog post … the work to help them is not yet over.
The story about Anise deserves her photo … (taken from Raquel’s blog):
“It’s hard for them to understand why we would want pictures of them, doing their laundry, but they all got behind it and just tried to act natural. But when Gillian would show them an example of the family portraits they were so pleased and giggly it was hilarious! On the last day of photo’s we thought of doing a group shot. One of my quietest ladies, Anise (makes paper) who barely says two words and acts like an Amish lady with all the appropriate prudish tendencies, came waltzing down the village hill in a BRIGHT golden BALL GOWN! It was about 15 sizes to big. My guess is, it was given to her in a donation bag and she had it saved in her house for a very special day. It was TOO sweet. The Ladies really got into what Gillian was doing because Gillian’s attitude towards them was one of service.”
What weight is on your shoulders tonight?
by Gigi
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