Minnesota Bound

We're getting ready to head to Minnesota early tomorrow for a quick three night trip. We're excited to see and squeeze our MN peeps. If you are at the World Wide Village Banquet Saturday or the church on Sunday please introduce yourself and let us squeeze you too.

Tonight a gift was given that completed the goal for the upcoming race that Britt and I are doing. Your gifts make it possible for 40 kids to be treated at RHFH with Medika Mamba.  There are 9 days until the race.  I am so excited to see 40 kids helped. In the next nine days left we could easily help another ten kids. $100 treats one child. Any amount helps - we're so thankful for your generous love in action. Thank you for responding and caring.

Haiti news is sad - Cholera death toll rising. 442 confirmed deaths, but with so many unable to easily get help when they are ill the actual total is likely higher. 2,000 new cases reported this week. Hurricane Tomas is hitting them tonight. Heavy rains and wind for 1.3 million people that live in tents and under tarps. Flooding usually happens in even the shortest rain events. This will be very difficult for everyone.  "Very difficult" is just a lame way to say horrifically bad. We are trying to turn our worries into prayers.  Lord-"Show us Your mercy. We beg You! We are not strangers to contempt and pain." Psalm 123:3

Megan has arrived to take over as mother, father, driver, cook, and butt wiper while we are in Minnesota. She seems ready. The kids are excited she is here and fighting over her. Paige was accused of "hogging Megan" in one complaint that was filed during dinner tonight. We found Paige guilty. She is appealing the decision, but not until she gets back from the movies with Megan.

There are some really solid organizations working in Haiti.  Investigating how donor money is used is helpful in deciding if they are worthy of your gifts. Some good work is hard to quantify because it might be less about numbers and flashy media and more about individual relationships and mentoring. Lately we've been less and less impressed with the really 'big dogs' in the NGO world and so much more touched by smaller grass-roots work. All that to say, please take a minute to check out this medium sized organization,  IJM and their work. They've recently begun to address the child trafficking issues in Haiti. On November 15 every American can help them - even if not able or interested in donating. Check out this link for information on making a phone call to help children and mark your calendar for November 15, 2010.

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope."
-Robert F. Kennedy