Blankets for Haiti - Part 1

** EDIT as of 1/27/10 - Please check my blog for more current posts (such as here, here and here) regarding this project. You can also use the google search in my side bar and type in, "Blankets for Haiti" for a more complete list. Thanks.**

By now I am sure you have heard of the recent earthquake in Haiti. I'm sending lots of prayers up for them.

When disaster strikes it often leaves me feeling hopeless. How can I help?

The blog world is full of brilliant and talented crafters and sewists. My blog has a humble 20 or so followers - some crafters, some not. But why not give helping out a shot... Lots of big things start with just one willing person.

Some friends of mine are going to Haiti in March (it was actually planned before the earthquake). Would you be interested in making a blanket to send with them? Quilt, Crochet, Knit, Tie up some fleece... Any size and style is welcome. They will be serving lots of kids.

I will post more details later.

Here is my friends email response when I asked her about making the blankets:




Sarah,

Oh my gosh... that would be AMAZING!

There will be lots of kids and it would be so awesome to give them something so personal. Even if there isn't something for everyone, we could give them to the pastor to distribute as they see fit.

I am going with a group from the Vineyard, but it isn't a 'Vineyard mission's trip'... My youth pastor from high school has had it on his heart for awhile to serve Haiti. In high school I traveled to the Dominican Republic (DR) to do mission's service and it was the first time my heart was completely broken for the poor and the lovely people of the country. We went with a mission's group called Time Ministries. Since then, we have stayed in contact with the church that we served with and God has really blessed the DR. Their economy is growing and ppl are slowing becoming more economically stable. Praise the Lord! Anyway, R (my youth pastor) has gone back several times and we have been able to financially support him. Most of the times we have gone or sent him, it includes a trip to Haiti to do some sort of relief work as Haiti is very much more impoverished. Now, since the DR is becoming more stable, the ppl of the church we used to serve, has grown a heart to serve their neighbors in Haiti! Very cool, because it is very much against the mentality of the Dominicans to have an outward focus, let alone finances to do outreach.

The group that is going from here includes, myself, A, R, his wife (Tonya) and their two kids, AJ and K and L.

We are going to help a group of young adults from the DR learn how to do missions and evangelism to their neighbors in Haiti! Since Haiti is not a politically stable environment, we fly into the DR, get our materials to build a structure for the orphanage, put as much together as we can and then take a truck to Haiti. That was our plan until all of the recent happenings with the country. We might be doing something completely unplanned now. Whatever is in God's plan.

It is very cool though that we have been planning this trip and out of the blue they are going to need more relief than anyone could have ever foreseen. One of those moments where you realize God is bigger than everything.

If you have it on your heart to help us, I welcome it!!! A and I have been doubting financially how we are going to get there. This is probably a much longer email than you anticipated... but if you and M could keep us and Haiti in your prayers, I would really appreciate it!

Let me know what you would like to get to Haiti and I would love to take it with us.

Talk to you soon,
D