One Year Ago....

Was the day that the earth began shaking in Haiti... it continued to shake for days.

And even though the shaking has stopped for the most part, the emotional shaking continues.

Now there is cholera, unsafe and unclean living conditions, "sheets" for roofs, you get the idea.

I just read an internet article about Haiti and how it is a living hell for many.

I don't know why I did it (because it always breaks my heart) but I read the "comments" under the article. People are clueless. Americans are clueless. And rather than research to find out the real meanings behind the problems, people judge. They judge harshly.

*Why don't Haitians just practice safe sex are some of the comments.... really?! I bet we don't even want to know how many Americans are walking around with sexually transmitted diseases because they didn't think before they acted. How many women secretly placed their children for adoption because they didn't have the means to care for them. How many American children were born into families where they were not wanted and are not loved.

Also, many Haitian women are at the mercy of their boyfriends, husbands or even worse, having to sell their bodies for money to feed their families.

We have *no* idea what it would be like to be raped and there not be an agency in which we could go to to report the incident. If we keep that secret to ourselves it is our decision. Haitian women don't have a choice. Nobody cares.

*Some of the comments were "why don't they just help themselves and clean up their own mess".

Unfortunately most Haitians do not own the land they were living on. Especially in the cities. Most people were renting. If you cleared the land of the house you had been living in, and then attempted to rebuild it- do you really think that the person who owned the land would let you "keep" the house you built? Really? 'Cause that wouldn't happen in America, and it isn't happening in Haiti. Those were the problems we ran into when trying to rebuild Brit and Fed's houses. Fed's family could show documentation that they owned the land. We (and Lori from Real Hope for Haiti) knew that if the house was rebuilt they would get to keep it, because it would be on their own land.

So they are stuck. No place to rebuild, and no means to buy land to rebuild on.

There aren't loans available. There is no "100% financing" like we have here. Nothing.

*But so much money was sent down already. No, actually a lot of money was given to big organizations like the Red Cross. The Red Cross states on it's website that it gets to pick where it's money goes.

From the beginning people were encouraged to give to organizations that were already on the ground doing good things before the earthquake. Organizations that knew how the country worked. Organizations who would use the money to help the Haitians help themselves.
Organizations *not* related to any government.

Those organizations are still there, and they are doing awesome things. They are helping Haitians to get back on their feet. Creating jobs, educating and loving.


*The government is corrupt- they don't deserve our money... Newsflash... their government is very corrupt. And so is ours. We just have a lot more money to throw around in all of the corruptness.

There is not much of a middle class in Haiti. There are the elite. And then there is the majority who live on one meal a day (or less).

*I read nearly 300 comments under the article, and probably 6 of them were from people who had educated themselves on the real problems Haiti has- how America helped contribute to those problems over the years. The rest were from people who have No Clue. No Clue.

And what is even more sad than the fact that people LOVE to judge when they have not educated themselves well enough TO judge.... is that many of those judging threw in comments about how they (the commenters) were Christians.

Here is what I know.... Jesus spent most of His time amongst the poor, the hurting, the lost, the lonely....
And if we are to be modeling ourselves after Jesus....

1John 3:16-18
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

There are only hundreds of other verses in the Bible that say similar things.

Sadly we as "Christians" often think our opinions mean much more than Biblical truths.

Makes my heart hurt.

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BUT- I know God used the earthquake to open the eyes and the hearts of many people.

In some it was just the realization that life is bigger than our safe little homes, and that in an instant it can all be taken away.

For our family, the earthquake meant opening our home to two more kids.

We really didn't have the money for it... my husband was open to adopting again, but not then. We had too many bills, too much to do....
But then the earthquake happened.
And our hearts broke.
And we knew that there were so many kids in this world who needed families, and *we* were a family.
And no matter the excuses we could come up with, none of them would make sense if we were standing face to face with an orphaned child.
So within only two weeks of the earthquake we started the ball rolling with a new homestudy and finding an agency.
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My kids and I talk a lot about how we are to see Jesus in others. When we look at pictures of Haiti- rather than seeing "poor people not doing anything to help themselves", we need to see Jesus. Would we tell Jesus "well, you've done this to yourself, you got what you deserved."
(that comment was under that article as well).
We are all just doing the best we can with the circumstances we are given. But, I am sure, we can all think of times when God used others to bless us or help us out when we most needed it.
Being His Hands and Feet.

Fed's House.....

Is almost finished....

Go here to check out Lori's blog with lots of pictures and the story....

Video of Fed's New House...

They are pouring a hortizontal support halfway up the wall for extra support. Blocks will go on top of this and another support put along the top before they do the roof. Anel went to go get more photos today.

Fed's House...

Hi everybody.... I heard from Lori... it is rainy season in Haiti and internet is spotty...

Fed's old house is torn down now and they are pouring the foundations....

More pictures to come.

Thank you to Everyone...

Thank you to everyone who donated to the families' rebuilding fund.

As most of you know if you follow other Haiti blogs, finding land is at the forefront of the "problem" right now.... whose land is it, how can it be bought, etc. Right now it seems like that is what is being worked out with Brit's family.

The funds will stay safely with RHFH for her family until the land issue is certain.

Fed's family has begun tearing down... funds will be distributed as the different phases are worked on... with the contractor keeping track.

I will leave the donate button up on the side of the blog for now- because there might be added expenses at the end- like doors, windows, screens that will need to be bought.

Thank you for sharing your heart with these girls!!!

$570 to go....

We are SO close!!!! Please help us reach the $6000 goal..... Fed's family has begun tearing more of their old house down- so we need to get the rest of the funds in so that they know how much they have to work with....

Thanks so much to all of those that have contributed!!

A Goal....

Both families, a contractor, and Lori have become very involved in the plans for rebuilding these homes.

Both families are contributing materials to this endeavor....

Our goal needs to be $3000 per family- so $6000 total.

Please help us meet this goal so the families can get their homes started!!!!

Real Hope for Haiti....

Over the last few years, Lori and Licia who run Real Hope for Haiti have become heroes to me.... they give day in, day out.... they give of their families, their homes, and themselves. The amount of people they save and show the love of Jesus to on a *daily* basis is awesome.

Lori took the time to post on her blog about the rebuilding fund for the girls, and what it means to her to help individual families..... take the time to read it, because it is even better to get someone's perspective who is in Haiti *living* it.... Instead of my second hand ideas.

Click here to read her blog post

Fed's House....

Lori was able to get these pictures of Fed's house. The family removed the tin from the front porch (top picture) to build their temporary shelter. They are not living in their house. It is not safe.

It is hard to see, but there are significant cracks everywhere, and in the third picture down, that is a support column that all of the bricks are loose and ready to slide out.

Fed's family will save the tin, wood, and doors to use in their new house.

Lori has spoken with the man who helped oversee the building of her house (that is currently housing the patients from the Comfort Ship).
He is trustworthy with money and overseeing progress, buying materials, and keeping things on track.

Lori is getting a price list for how much it will cost to rebuild Fed's house.

So there is a plan... there is someone who will oversee the building, there is someone to allocate money and not just hand it over the families, there is someone (Lori) who has gone out of her way to figure stuff out for us since we can not be there. She is in the business of saving lives, and helping people heal.... so that she has gone to all of the work to find out all of this for us... means the world to me. Your donations ARE tax deductible.

Please donate..... please.

Brit's House

Lori from RHFH was able to get pictures of Brit's house. Her family has one room of this house, and they share the house with extended family. There are now more cracks in it. It would be nice if their house at least had screens (not sure if that is something that is done in Haiti or not) but I know the mosquitoes are terrible certain times of the year.

So, at least her house has not crumbled in on them. Lori has told them they can not just rebuild on this site if they can not prove the land is theirs, it would be pointless, because whoever owns the land would then own the house.

After I saw this picture of Brit's house this weekend, I cried. Just thinking about what she must have thought when she came to stay with us. Did she think our 2500 sq. foot brick house was a castle? Our lawn was weeds, but at least it was green and not dirt.
We certainly overindulge in what we think we "need" and what is really necessity.

I can tell you, that even though those girls are poor, and growing up in houses like the picture above.... they had the beauty and spirit of wise women, they had a sparkle that so many children lack who grow up here in the US. They showed compassion to my children, and caring and love to Jeff and I. They are such special girls who deserve the same "rights" as all children... a right to clean water and nutrient rich food, the right to live in a safe home, the right to get an education. It is a shame that money is the thing that is often missing to make those things possible.

Britnie's Family...

Lori (from RHFH) was able to speak with Britnie's family.... they actually have a plan drawn up for the house they would like and have gotten estimates on materials.

I am very impressed with this and am so glad they are participating in thinking about their future.

The only problem is the amount of the estimate for their house is a little under $9000.... of course- this is nothing compared to what we pay for homes in the US... it is just bigger than my brain had envisioned fundraising (especially with how slowly the "amount donated" seems to be going up).

Also, that we would like to help BOTH families!

Lori will be telling the family we will do the best we can to fund raise, and we will keep praying, but we are sort of at the mercy of how much people want to donate.....

So... if you are wondering how to spend some of that tax refund.... I know the perfect place!!!!!

If you have donated....

and you do not see the "total amount" on the sidebar going up- it is because I have to wait for someone from RHFH to forward me the paypal donation amount....

they are busy folks there- so often times they only have a chance to check e-mails once a day or every other day.

If it has been a few days since you donated- and the amount has still not gone up....
please e-mail me at onecrowdedhouse@gmail.com
and I will look into it.

Thanks.

A PLAN!!!!!

**You can click here to donate (and I will put the button on the side of the blog)
This is Real Hope For Haiti's paypal account- this button is set up to receive funds for Brit and Fed's housing. If you choose to donate from the Real Hope for Haiti website (the same paypal account) - be sure you write in the special instructions that the funds are for "Housing for Brit and Fed".

**You can also send checks to:
Real Hope For Haiti
PO Box 23
Elwood, IN 46036

write the check out to Real Hope for Haiti- and then either in the memo section or on a separate note please state that the $ is for "HOUSING FOR BRIT AND FED"

We are going to try and keep a running total of the funds collected on the side of the blog.

Let's help these families get set back up in safe/secure homes!!!!

How You Can Help.....

The earthquake in Haiti has devastated so many families.... even if people's homes were not destroyed, the fear that is now in most Haitians is very strong. They are still worried if they live in their homes that another earthquake will occur and devastate even more. The cement homes are not earthquake proof- that is for sure.

We finally received word that both girls and their families are alive (praise God for that).... but that Fed's house now has to be rebuilt. We do not know the specifics of the condition of Brit's house, but we do know that the clinic (Real Hope for Haiti) has already had to give her family food and a tarp (I am assuming this means her home was damaged as well).

Lori, from Real Hope for Haiti, has said that she can have Brit and Fed's families come up with a budget and a plan to rebuild/do repairs on their homes, and to help their families to get back on their feet. Lori estimates that a two room block home with a tin roof would cost around $3000-$4000 to build. Lori says the homes will have to be built with more iron bar reinforcements and other protective measures to make the homes earthquake resistant. Obviously building houses out of wood is not a good idea because Haiti is an island and wood would not last very long.... I am going to be researching if pressure treated wood is an option- or if it is too unsafe (the chemicals) given the close quarters of people/children.

It is now the rainy season again in Haiti, and you can only imagine what flooding will mean for the precious people who are living in tents, and under tarps.

Fed and Brit made a major impact on our family. Having them in our home helped us to realize that our family was not complete. We are now in the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia. A girl (10 years old) and her little brother (6 years old). We hope to bring them home within the next 6-9 months.

It is so easy to think of people who live in third world countries as "them/they/those"..... as in.... those poor people.... they have it so tough.... but I can promise you that "they" are real live people just like you and I... they have hopes, dreams, fears, and praises. They have more strength and grace than we could ever imagine.

I know that several large organizations (such as the Red Cross) have taken donations to help with Haiti relief..... but this is an excellent opportunity to help at a very basic level and know exactly who your money is going to..... To be able to make a difference immediately.

My goal is to raise as much money as I can within the next four weeks. I don't necessarily have a "goal amount" in mind, because I certainly don't want to put a limit on giving. I would imagine that with a home costing 3-4 thousand dollars each- that both families would need that amount or more. Seems crazy for me to think about that amount of money... but if lots of people give little amounts it will add up quickly.


Please feel free to pass this on to as many people as you would like.

Thank you to all of you who have prayed for these girls and their families.
To contact me, our e-mail address is:
onecrowdedhouse@gmail.com

Both girls are ok, but.....

This picture of Fed is from pretty recently.... I just (as in a few minutes ago) got this new picture and this info from Lori at Real Hope for Haiti....


Fed is doing fine. Their house is cracked and the porch is falling down. They will have to tear it down and rebuild. Her mom said that it can't be repaired. It was a 2 room block house with a tin roof. Brit is fine, but I'm not sure about the house.

I think that she's been here since the 12th, but can't find a photo. I gave them tarps & food.

School is still closed.


I have sent an e-mail back to Lori asking if I were to raise funds again- if she would be able to give the $ to the girls families.... I will let you know more information when I hear back.... My heart is beating out of my chest right now thinking about these girls and how desperately I want to be able to help their families. Be praying about if you might be able to help out. I will update more on if this is a possibility. Thanks for praying for these precious girls. They will forever hold a piece of our hearts.