Just as the school year drew to a close, I learned that I'd been accepted to work on a Habitat for Humanity (HFH) build in Haiti in early November. It's now more than three weeks into summer vacation, and it's finally starting to sink in....I'm going to Haiti!!
I can vividly remember what I was doing eighteen months ago today. Driving home from work, I was thinking about a nap when I turned on the radio and heard about the earthquake that hit Haiti earlier in the day. The utter destruction and despair being described was unfathomable. My nap didn't seem very important anymore. For weeks and weeks, along with the rest of the country I was glued to news reports from Haiti, horrified by the images being shown and amazed by the inner strength of the survivors. Like all of you, I donated to charities such as the Red Cross and HFH (one of the first groups on the ground with emergency survival kits!). Still, it didn't seem like enough. Then several months ago, I received an e-mail from HFH with information about the 2011 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Leogane, Haiti. My fingers probably turned purple from being crossed while sending in my application, but it worked. And now, I can't wait because four months from today I will be lifting cinderblocks in Haiti!
This online journey will follow my adventures leading up to the Haiti build: trying to learn some Haitian Creole, reapplying for my passport, outfitting myself for the build (sleeping bags, bugs spray, shots!), creating a blog (for those of you who know my lack of technology skills, this probably gave you a few giggles) and most importantly, fundraising. My personal goal is to raise a minimum of $5000 for Habitat for Humanity, Haiti before I leave. I invite you to help me with reaching my goal and it only takes a couple of clicks at: http://www.habitat.org/cd/cwp/participant/participant.aspx?pid=92071314
Mwen pral an Ayiti!
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