I have wanted to travel to Haiti to help since the day of the earthquake. Besides not wanting to be in the way, I've got this annoying autoimmune disorder that zapped one of my kidneys* several years ago and I simply don't want to dredge it up again by going into unknown territory. I feel guilty about it and it drives me nuts, but I have come to realize that I am of no value to anyone or any cause if I get sick again. So when the earthquake struck, I facilitated a shoe drive in my physical and online community and I prayed. It was the least that I could do.
You may know this already, but Haiti has hardly even started to recover. It has been almost 10 months since the devastating earthquake, but movement is just now (!) starting with the removal of rubble. Do you believe it has taken this long just to start?!?!? Already one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, Haitians have been living in tent communities and managing their trauma in the best way they can. I am absolutely heartbroken.
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| Haitian quilters. =) |
Two weeks ago, I was in a session at Blogalicous in Miami and I became informed about Bill Clinton's call to action and the subsequent launch of Macy's Heart of Haiti collection: Haitian arts and crafts created by Haitian artisans and sold at Macy's. Well, row my boat. Isn't that just awesome!? Sales of Heart of Haiti products at Macy's put real, sustainable income into the hands of the artisans who create them, changing their lives in remarkable ways.
The San Francisco launch is in two days and I'm just chomping at the bit to get there (and bringing along a buncha tissue for the tears)! In fact, stay tuned for my updates. I'm going to try my hand at Twitter and I'll definitely be posting to Facebook. I have committed to be an ambassador for this program that celebrates culture, art and recovery! It is - after all - the least that I can do.
*I still have both of my kidneys; however, only one functions at 100%.
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