haiti day five - hearts

from a gift for one of the staff members, a new business was formed.  one little boy making a bracelet for her, turned into 20 boys supporting their families.  she said...americans would buy these.  so he made some more bracelets out of wires he found on the street, and brought some friends back to the guest house with their own bracelets.  now, every saturday at noon a line of boys and their parents line up in the yard and collect the money they have earned for their bracelets.  and to let the staff know of any special needs they may be having.  some need sandles.  one has a brother with typhoid.  sometimes tuition.  we were talking about how they work so hard knowing all the money will go to their families.  for some it is all the money their family earns in a week.  only one boy had no money in his bag.  it crushed my heart into a million pieces.  truly.  but i promise he won't go home empty next week.

with the hearts for haiti money collected by my friends and family, we purchased 50 lbs. of rice and 50 lbs. of beans.  we filled 100 hearts and 100 baggies.  when the boys and their families showed up today, they left with our rice and bean filled hearts, health supply kits, school supply kits, and their bracelet money.  we left enough rice and beans to feed those families for the next three weeks.  and three boys with especially high needs left with $33 each of hearts money.  and then we all played soccer.

we will be on the lookout for more helpful ways to use the remainder of the funds.  but i just want to personally thank each of my team members for helping me stuff, sew and hand out the hearts that all of those at home put so much love into.  i really appreciate all of the support both here and at home.  please understand that not only did we feed about 25 families, we fed them for four weeks.  it was hugely appreciated and totally unexpected for them today.  it was a really big deal.  and i am so thankful to have been a part of that.