What I look forward to...

In exactly ONE month I will be arriving in Haiti with a good friend of mine, Hope.

I look forward to...

- never having to worry about school/papers/midterms/finals/marks/professors/comparisons or any aspect of the rat race that is university EVER AGAIN!

- sharing my love for this amazing country with an incredible person so eager to get involved and witness everything that Haiti has to offer....

- stepping off the plane and validating everything I have been feeling since I last left and overcoming my anxiety over what I may see after the devastating earthquake

- seeing all those familiar faces at GLA :)

- holding those Haitian beauties and meeting all those new faces

- exploring more of the region and staring at those beautiful mountains all day long ;)

- being reunited with my # 1 love in the world.. HAITI <3

- helping in whatever way I can for an incredible cause!

Do I sound excited?

Blast from the past!

4 years later I returned to St. Joseph's Catholic High School to present to several groups of students about my trip experiences- hoping to inspire them to get involved and find an isssue they can be passionate about. It was a little nerve racking- but I really love sharing my experience and having those few kids at the end come up and ask me for more information, wanting to know how to get involved, what they can do! Very exciting.

Although it was alot of talking - even for me ;)

This just in!

DAYS...

4 PAPERS, 1 MIDTERM, 1 TAKE HOME, 2 FINALS BEFORE MY DEPARTURE....

BUT WHOSE COUNTING?????

Many people have warned me against counting down the days, but it helps me maintain sanity, every time I get frustrated I think about those precious babes I will be holding and snuggling in 42 days, when I think I cannot look at another paper outline or lecture note I think... if I DON'T overcome these seemingly mundane tasks of my last semester I will NOT be holding those babes. So for now I will continue to find comfort in this countdown :)

This just in... I MAY have an amazing friend accompanying me to GLA! Hope is an awesome girl who expressed interest in coming with me but following the earthquake it didnt look like it was going to happen- HOWEVER she just recieved a email today confirming a spot! This is awesome news, she has never travelled to Haiti but she has participated in a Rayjon Awareness Trip to the DR and has stayed actively involved with the Rayjon Youth Committee since.

I have been eager to share my experience, share my love for Haiti, my love for GLA and my passion for this country... and I finally have this opportunity. Details are not finalized but I am VERY excited!

Please continue to keep Haiti and its people in your thoughts and prayers.

Stay tuned... All the best!

8 weeks yesterday....

8 weeks ago Haiti was forever changed. 8 weeks ago I was reminded of my love for and commitment to the Haitian people. 8 weeks ago I struggled with the disconnect between my life here and my heart there... and that struggle continues.

Today and everyday since I have been thinking about and praying for those in Haiti.

8 weeks ago media was everywhere, you saw just as many white people amongst the ruble as you did Haitians, today that attention and that drive has dwindle- I encourage everyone to keep Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.

Remember those injured, those deceased and those struggling to rebuild their lives, their homes and their futures.

GLA is working diligently to address the local needs and to tend to the children that have arrived at their gates since the quake. Staff and volunteers are incredible!

Rayjon Haiti has been busy reassessing the development projects, tending to the staff and community we are so intimately connected to, and caring for (temporarily and permanently) abandoned children in what was once the local high school. A team of Rayjon people (from Sarnia ON) are headed there in a couple weeks to help, to comfort and to see what is left of our long standing projects. Please keep this group in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for what they might see, hear and feel.

My return is scheduled for April 26th, 47 days today...I am eager, I am anxious and I am preparing for what I am going to experience.

When we think about Haiti.. please remember the positive nature of their people, the resiliency of their communities and the light of their lives. Remember these faces... I know I do!

These incredibly vibrant children of Gilbert are my daily reminder of Haiti's strength and endurance.

Crossroads

Let me introduce you to the many facets of my life:

I am a daughter....

and a VERY proud big sister....

I am a friend....

and an active global citizen...

I am ME! I accountable to myself and I am driven by my OWN passion and my OWN goals!

" Waiting too long at the crossroads waiting for the light to change"

It is true.. I am coming terrifyingly close to the end of my university career- I know I have been counting down the days, reminding everyone who will listen that the end is near... but the truth is i'm a little scared.

I am eagerly researching what comes next, putting in resumes, narrowing down my interests and hoping and praying something will come through- I have gotten some exciting "signs" that everything will be alright, everything will work out but stubborn me still needs to dwell and stress and worry.

I havve been forced to look inwards, what makes me TICK? what am I willing to sacrafice to get where I want to go? what am I not? what do I want?-- not what others want me to do, what is going to make me happy? what is going to help me grow? all this "ME" talk makes me uncomfortable, I am much more comfortable helping others, providing an ear/ a shoulder whatever is needed for those around me as they struggle, but right now I must be selffish and I must take this opportunity to look within and really figure out the next step.

I am (trying to be) confident that my hard work, my committment and my passion will carry that much further ....


Stayed tuned :)

All the best!

I have a heart for many!

Please dont forget about Haiti!

The rain continues, the pain persists, the injuries worsen and the needs get greater...

Please dont forget about Haiti!

Did you know.... that Haiti is on the same island as the Dominican- where MANY N.Americans vacation?

Did you know... that it takes less than 4 hours in air to travel to Haiti? Just an 1.5 in air from Florida?

Doesnt it make it harder to push the issues aside when you can draw those connections?
A favorite quote of mine drives this home

" No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the whole"

This suffering I remind you of is NOT a "world" away, these are our neighbours, our people, my friends.

I have gotten word of an awesome opportunity to donate- donate MUCH needed items to an amazing clinic (Real Hope for Haiti) currently struggling to address the needs of MANY people seriously injured during the earthquake. The Agape airline donated the use of a plane to bring over donations... those helping run the clinic have set up an account of Walmart registry where you can help donate items that will be shipped to Haiti without you even having to get off the couch!

please consider looking into this.... the link below explains the steps!

haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com

Please contact me if you have any questions.

The countdown is on for my return to GLA... 63 days :)

If you would like to keep in the loop re: GLA happenings take a read of the blogs posted on glahaiti.org

Thank you for your continue support. Please continue to keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers!

All the best!

Not everyone will understand...

The spotlight has begun to shift away from Haiti.. people have given and have moved on. Unfortunately the pain and suffering has not ended, the Haitian people are only beginning to rebuild their homes, their neighborhoods and their lives but many are also stuck in a sort of 'limbo' with temporary shelter with a reliance on aid. From what I heard it has been raining in Haiti and I can only imagine how those sheet-tents are holding up, how many babies children and families are struggling to sleep soaking wet and hungry. This weekend the government has called for a 'holiday' in replacement of Carnival, where the Haitian people will fast and pray for their grieving country.

Not a day goes by that I am not thinking of and praying for Haiti. In just two and a half months I will be there, stepping off the plane and I can only imagine that my heart will break from what I see. Many are asking if I am 'prepared' and if I am 'confident' I should be returning. And to these people I say 'of course!' MANY do not understand my commitment to Haiti, and I sometimes struggle with the explanation- many don't want to hear it, many secretly judge and consider me unrealistic assuming I have my head in the clouds BUT I am not doing what I do to seek approval, I am not doing 'good deeds' so that I may look good to others or build an impressive resume.... I do what I do because I love it, I have found something that makes me incredibly happy and I am passionate about change and development---> perhaps that is selfish, I think sometimes that I gain more that I give but I know that somewhere I am making a difference.
Why Haiti?
When I first traveled to Haiti in 2006 I don't think I was prepared for how it was going to change me, how is was going to shape who I became and turn my 'set out plan' upside down.
In my first 8 days I experienced love, hope and resilience like I could NEVER experience in N. America, I witnessed smiles in the face of adversity, I learned that 'things' do not make people happy... people make people happy and that with a little hard work and determination everything is possible. Haiti is not the only place I have found this feeling---> I witnessed this resilience and determination in the face of the homeless people in Calgary (during my first year volunteer trip) and in the beautiful rural villages of Kenya and I am confident that wherever I travel I will find my passion at work. However there is SOMETHING drawing me back to Haiti, maybe because this was my first experience, maybe it is close to home but whatever it is I love it!
I have recently decided to apply for job positions in this 'field' I am not only passionate about work on the ground but I LOVE working with youth and encouraging the next generation to make a difference and NOW! Again, many people do not understand this, I am graduating in two months with a Honours BA in Criminal Justice and Public Policy- my friends are moving on to Law School, Law enforcement or masters... I know this is not for me. Instead I am going in the direction of my heart... for the first time in my life no one is dictating the next step and I am taking a huge leap.

Two and a half months I will be there and I know not until that day will I feel peace, it has been a month since my beloved country was ripped apart from an earthquake. Many of the familiar landmarks will be gone, the drive up will not be the same but I know my love for this country will never waiver.
Children continue to trickle through the gates of GLA, a couple very premature babies born in the adversity of the earthquake, many children given up as their parents have no other choice and some yet to be reunited with their family--> please continue to keep these children in your thoughts and prayers. Please also remember the staff and volunteers that live there and work tirelessly so that these children may achieve proper growth, development and happiness.
Please remember the children who we reunited with their forever families, this is not a easy transition not for the parents or the children. And of course urge our society to remember Haiti---> the need is great!
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me, I couldn't do what I do without you!
All the best!