I’ve spent the past 48 hours immersed in the news coming out of Haiti. My heart broken for the people. I’ve spent the same amount of time on the computer working on Craft Hope. When I hear of these types of tragedies it is like a fire is lit within me. The stories consume me, the need to help overwhelms me. And I go back to, it’s only me… what can I do to make a difference? Then I remember Craft Hope and the incredible community that I’ve come to know and love over the past year. God has truly blessed me with the gift of Craft Hope and entrusted me with it. I thank God daily for allowing me the opportunity to serve in this way. Even if I truly want to jump on the next plane leaving for Haiti.

Talking to my hubby last night, all of the emotions were swelling within me like when Katrina hit New Orleans. I was a new mama, home in the evening with my 9 month old baby girl. I sat on the couch and cried. Wanting to help. Then a local news station broke in that the evacuees were heading to Austin. That they would be arriving at the Convention Center and the Red Cross needs donations. I loaded up my car with things Makena had outgrown or did not use anymore. The car was packed. Infant car seats, a bassinet, clothes, diapers… I knew women were arriving with babies and had nothing. And boy were those thoughts correct.

I jumped into my loaded car in my pajamas. I kid you not. Showed up at the Convention Center where bus loads of evacuees were arriving. Began unloading my car with items to help those mama’s make it through the night with their babies. And realized pretty quickly that the NEED was greater than reported. There was no one there to accept the donations. Simply people unloading. As I walked around I noticed hundreds of people, disoriented, trying to come to terms with what they had just been through. This group came straight from bus and airplane to Austin. I hurried over to the first Red Cross worker I could find and volunteered my time.

I worked through the night. In my pajamas. Welcoming people to Austin and listening to their stories. Helping them get into the proper lines to get a shower. Noticing that all of them arrived with NOTHING. Not a bag in their hands. They had come from devastation. They had to leave everything behind.

I worked the next four days, specifically evening times with a couple of friends from my church. One I happened to reunite with here in this blog space that I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. Crazy, small world. Stefani and I spent countless hours there. Sitting with the evacuees, listening to their stories, offering them a shoulder to cry on. It was truly the first lesson in my adult life in how to just BE with a person. Nothing else was expected.

I spent the daylight hours as a case worker for the Red Cross processing the evacuees and getting them money. Helping them figure out whats next.

Through all of my work on Craft Hope the past couple of days I have come across countless organizations and their multitude of needs. Honestly though, the stories that really break my heart are the stories of the children in the schools and in the orphanages.

I found this organization called The Hands & Feet Project, don’t even ask me how at this point, and have been following them on Facebook. They are updating their site regularly. It is an orphanage in Haiti. I look at the pictures of the children and I want to reach through the computer screen and make it all better.

This is a picture that they posted on their site earlier this evening. The children and organizers at the orphanage sleeping under the stars since their building is damaged. This is day two for them of no help. But there they are, each tiny body sleeping peacefully under God’s grace. Alive and well. This picture gives me hope. Hope that Haiti will overcome this devastation and the next generation will grow and thrive. It will take years, but for these precious souls it MUST be worth it.

Please do what you can and support Haiti. There are many outlets in which you can donate. You can text “haiti” to the Red Cross at 90999 and they will simply charge you $10 on your next telephone bill. What a great way to donate $10. You can also see what Craft Hope is doing with Giving Children Hope and also calling all crafters for donations for an Etsy shop to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Please say a prayer tonight for those sweet souls in Haiti. They need our prayers more than ever.