Quilt Raffle for Haiti

Hey everyone! Here is a fun way to donate to support an orphanage in Haiti. You could win this gorgeous quilt my friend Rita made. If you remember from my previous blog posts, Rita is Doug and Amy's mom.

Please visit one of my good friend Angie's blogs here or here for more info & pics and she also has a paypal link up. The proceeds go directly to rebuilding Val's Orphanage. This is not some huge organization that might redistribute your donation, you can rest assured that your money will directly help the people of Haiti!

They are Coming Home! (Haiti Update)

Rita (Amy's mom), Amy, Doug & the kids, both Grayson AND Dor are coming home!! That means Dor's emergency visa must have gone through (friends who might know, correct me if I am wrong!)! I am not sure of the details yet, but it is so wonderful that they get to come home. We were unsure if Amy and Doug WANTED to come back to the States, but I cannot EVEN imagine having a little baby in Haiti right now. I know they will hate to leave everyone behind for a while, but it will all work out. As soon as I find out more I will let you know.
Amy's dad returned home today and the members of our church that were there have also returned safely. AND the women's team that was with Gretchen at Lifeline returned safely as well. Praise the Lord!

In the meantime, please continue to pray for the Haitian people and those who are giving aid and missions workers who are still there. And I have a specific prayer request for a girl my friend Randi knows who has not been found yet. Please read about Courtney on Randi's blog here.

Thanks so much to everyone for their continued prayers and support. God bless you all!

1-15-09 Haiti Update

Amy & Doug's well has been repaired and they now have clean, clear water! Praise the Lord!!

Please go over to my friend Angie's blog and read her post from today, some great info and prayer requests. She has been very close to Amy and her family for a long time. Thanks!

Again here is the info if you would like to make a donation:

If anyone is interested in helping Haiti, please contact Don Riedel (843) 899-1841 - Haitian Christian Projects, 808 Ophir Street #7, Moncks Corner, SC 29461... this is a non-profit and 100% goes to Haiti. Please repost!

Haiti Update and A Little About My Time There

Hey everyone, here is an email I received today from my missionary friend's mom:

Hello Everyone,
This is a mass email to make sure everyone knows that we are safe in Haiti, I apologize if it is a duplicate but didn't want to leave anyone out. We are very near the center of the quake that struck Haiti yesterday. Jeff and I arrived on Monday, we're unsure at this point how long we'll be here.

There were no injuries to any of the American team members here, but of course a lot of injuries to Haitians around us. We set up a triage unit in Amy and Doug's front yard last night and worked through the night as best we could to help people. We have food, for now, but our water supply is brown and the well has collapsed. This will obviously need taken care of quickly because we need water. (The well is just one example of how we could use extra financial support right now, if you are able to help I'll include our address and we can access the money asap)

Please know that we are okay and trying to help others in any way we can. I might not be able to reply to each email, we've got one computer to make contact with loved-ones in the states.

Love to all,
RR

Haitian Christian Projects (HCP)
808 Ophir Street #7
Moncks Corner SC 29461

If you are looking for a way to help out the people of Haiti, please PLEASE consider helping these people out! They are amazing, I have known them for years and I went to high school with Amy. She helped me get my job after I graduated from college. She and her mom and dad worked there for years before Amy moved on to other things. Amy and Doug have an infant son and a 3 year old Haitian boy that they are in the process of adopting. This is totally legit so no worries about whether or not your money will be put to good use. Please feel free to email me privately - theblessedcountrymom (at) gmail (dot) com - if you have any questions and I will do the best I can to help you! Here is a link to Doug and Amy's blog - Two Buckeyes in Haiti. It doesn't get updated too often (and won't be for a while I am sure!), but there is good info there.

Oh, just got an update from Amy's brother on facebook as I was typing this:

ATTN friends and family: Just got word from Haiti that our efforts will be focused on a new orphanage. Existing orphanage is total loss and children sleeping on the ground. If anyone is interested in helping Haiti financially, send donations to Haitian Christian Projects, 808 Ophir Street #7, Moncks Corner, SC 2946...1... this is a non-profit and 100% goes to Haiti. Please repost!

I just want to let you all know that Haiti is very near to my heart. I visited there in January 2003. It was my first mission trip, first time out of the country, first time on a plane, and it was my first time away from my family for longer than a few days (though my sister went too, so that helped. And Amy's mom was there, it was kind of like having my own mom with me, she is so sweet!). It was an amazing experience! We stayed with Lifeline in Grand Goave and got to take Layettes to the families with new babies, put on a puppet show for the school children, help in the clinic, and so much more. We even went to the affiliated orphanage in Port Au Prince one day and took them clothes and had snacks with the children. At night we had our meetings/devotions on the roof of the dorm building and it was just beautiful looking up at the stars in the clear night air. There isn't very much light there at night so the stars just POP! Wow, I am being taken back just thinking about it, words just can't describe it. I will have to dig out my photos from our trip and scan them in to show you all. Maybe tomorrow if I can find them....then I will remember so be prepared for a LONG post!

Anyway, Jim has been there too, as have his mom and dad and many other people from our church. Jim's mom is actually the head of our church's missions committee. Jim and I always wanted to go back but unlike brave Amy and Doug, once we had little Jimmy we have been home bound. We want to go back to Haiti someday, but are going to focus on our family here for now. So please look into your hearts and see what you can do to help. Anything will be greatly appreciated, and your prayers and thoughts are always needed!! Thank you for taking the time to read this.

xoxo Ali

PS - If you need another option for an organization to donate to or pray for, you can also make a donation to Lifeline, a mission that my church is associated to, through their website. Just go to www.lifeline.org and click on the "Make a Donation" link in the upper right hand corner of their homepage. (Again, this is a separate organization from Doug and Amy's!)

Prayer Request - Haiti Earthquake

Hey everyone, just wanted to ask for your prayers real quick. Some of you may have heard about the horrible earthquake in Haiti this afternoon. We have members of our church there right now, some are serving as missionaries and live there and we also have a team visiting Lifeline Christian Mission (please click the link if you would like to learn more). As far as we know all of our people are safe, though one woman at the mission, not from our church, may have broken ribs. There are many Haitians who are injured and without homes, etc. Everyone needs prayer right now!! Thank you so much and I will try to have an update soon.