My latest update was sent out via email at the beginning of July. For those who did not recieve it, shoot me an email at mary.hooke@gmail.com and I will be happy to pass it along. Since that time, in additon to continuing work on other ongoing efforts, I have been helping to facilitate a number of individuals who have come into Jacmel for short term trips, seeking to assist them in making the greatest impact possible out of the short time that they had.
One couple from my home church, Brad and Beth, came into Jacmel for one week with the intention of providing a clean water system for a single school, impacting the health of and providing a life-line essential resource for hundreds of children. Great intentions and goal, and would in and of itself have been a huge impact for such a short term trip. By the time they left, however (and all of this on the same budget with which they came in, mind you), they had not only repaired the water system of one local school serving hundreds of children, but they also sponsored and built a water system that a local orphanage is using to provide CLEAN drinking water for literally thousands in their community-- a project that, without exageration, is preventing potentially hundreds of fatal cases of cholera and dysentery; and on top of that, they participated in the repair of a local school who will now finally fit the paramaters be able to qualify for World Food Program assistance, providing many of its students with is often their only filling meal each day. They also distributed three suitcases full of tarps and mosquito nets-- literal lifesavers during the Haitian rainy season-- to the neediest in Camp Pinchinat, one of the largest and most desperate IDP camps in Jacmel, and assisted in the sponsorship of a local family of 10, who recently, out of desperation approached an orgphanage to take in their youngest children. Because of Brad and Beth and others like them, this family will be able to stay together. Awesome!
The following week and a half I spent with Ashley and Alex, two fellow North Carolina friends. Ashley is a trained EMT currently in nursing school, and came to Haiti with medical supplies to provide assistance for IDP camp dwellers. We focused our efforts mainly in Pinchinat, who have not recieved any medical assistance for the past five months. I was present mainly as a logistics manager and translator, while Ashley conducted clinics, with follow up from a local doctor and nurse. We found, as expected, overwhelming need there, especially among youth and women, and I am still involved in following up with the most serious cases.
And currently, two former GVN friends working in and out of the states, Europe and Haiti, are staying in my home. These friends, Frank, a Belgian university student from North Carolina, and Olivia, a schoolteacher from England, operate an organization called EduHaitian, which connects foreign donors with local children for school sponsorship. Their work mainly focuses in Port-au-Prince. This trip to Jacmel, however, has been a particularly personal effort, as their goal has been to ensure that the children who were sponsored by GVN volunteers last year are still able to attend school, despite the fact that GVN is no longer operational in Haiti. When Olivia reached out to former volunteers, the response was overwhelming, with everyone eager to remain involved in the children's lives, even from afar. Its been wonderful to spend time with Frank and Olivia again, and to help out with keeping our old friends connected to the kids and families that they love and care for in Jacmel. Hard to believe that it has nearly been a year since we all ventured to Jacmel for the first time!
Finally, the Pinchinat summer youth arts and recreation program-- a collaborative effort of the Haiti Initiative and a collection of local artists and musicians promoting gender equality and social skill development while integrating food distribution and health services that the children could not otherwise access-- is finally underway, and going well. Though I assist with various areas of the camp, my main responsibilities are over the girl's soccer club and the provision of medical services. Photos to come soon!
***
Special Request
In other news, cholera has been running rampant in the prisons for the past month or so, and it has unfortunately been impossible for myself or others to enter the prison to provide sanitation and nutritional supplies. The police have welcomed my friends' supply of doxy and other cholera prevention medicines, but will not allow us to distribute items ourselves, or to cook in the prisons until they deem that the epidemic has been sufficiently controlled. Please pray for the prisoners and protection against cholera, as well as favor for us to be able to gain entry as soon as possible! I have one friend in particular who was recently imprisoned and is awaiting judgement on his case, who I am very eager to visit.
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
HEF
Throwbackkkk-- HEFalump & Woozle, Spring Break '07 :)One of my best and most precious friends, Miss Hannah Elizabeth Ferrell, is headed back to Jacmel with me this coming Wednesday! A Haiti first-timer, she has taken leave from her job and will be spending the next three months helping me jump start our new women and girls initiatives. I am beside myself with excitement about this! Hannah and I have been friends since high school, and she has walked me through a lot of ups and downs in life. Her presence has a calming effect on me.. it is going to be goooooood to have her around everyday. She has a very natural and infectious interest in and understanding for people from every walk of life, is a great soccer player (something that is bound to earn her brownie points in Haiti!), has amazing artistic talent, and is absolutely hilarious in a uniquely immature and somehow still brilliantly understated way. She has a lot to offer, and I am really looking forward to having her as my partner!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Beginning this past January, I have been serving as Deputy Director for a start-up nonprofit in Jacmel called The Haiti Initiative (THI). Founded in response to January's earthquake and operational since March 2010, The Haiti Initiative, formalized under the name 'Social Tap,' is a voluntary relief project undertaking an asset-based approach to evaluate community needs and provide lifeline resources to disaster victims. THI secures resources and distributes aid in collaboration with established Haitian NGOs, identified local community leaders, and skilled professional volunteers, in an effort to empower the local community and promote sustainable development. (THI's website, http://www.socialtap.org/, is currently under contruction and anticipated to launch this in the coming week. If interested in learning more, please check back soon.)
My involvement with THI over the course of the past four months has taught me a great deal about the challenges and rewards, the costs and benefits, and the barriers and opportunities that make up the messy, often difficult and unrelenting, day-in and day-out of relief and development work. There are certain things that a person, no matter how much they prepare, cannot know and understand until experiencing them for themselves-- and for me, this Haiti experience has been one of them. I am, with each day that passes and in ways that I could never have forseen, growing in my depth of love, passion and knowledge of the needs of Haiti and her people, as well as for the field of development work. I am also growing in knowledge of myself: learning my limits- whether internally or externally imposed- while at the same time growing in confidence and wisdom when it comes to the approaches and methods by which I am able to best utilize the skills, gifts and interests that God has given me to most effectively impact the environment in which I currently live and work.
Many of you will know that my heart and passion have long been to serve as an advocate for and minister to the needs of women and children-- particularly girls-- to whom the world and society have largely turned a blind eye, or, in more cruel instances, a purposefully opressive hand. In Haiti, women and girls have long been living in a state of emergency: In a nation where 80% of the population is unemployed and 76% live on less than $2 per day, 1 in 90 women die in childbirth, and 7 of 10 women report being victims of domestic and sexual violence. In the wake of the 2010 earthquake such previously existing problems have been compounded, resulting in already vulnerable populations being put at even greater risk. Single mothers, homeless or displaced women and girls, domestic and sexual violence survivors, former sex workers and prostituted women, and female ex-offenders are populations in particular need of support.
Knowing this, my next year of work in Haiti (I am committed to staying at this time until atleast May 2012) will focus primarily on assisting, largely as an independent agent, in the development of THI's "Core Areas" of Human Rights and Domestic Violence. In collaboration with this organization and with the support of other like-minded agencies and individuals, I will be be working to develop and expand the following projects: Girl's Empowerment through Sports and Art in camps for displaced persons; local outreach through Hospitality and Community Building; Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Survior Support; creating Opportunities for Economic Empowerment through trade education, business planning training, and the creation of Cash for Work and microenterprise options; and finally, a Women's Prison nutrition, sanitation and medical outreach.
Currently, I am in the States, seeking partners who are willing to join me either in prayer or financial partnership as I move forward into this next phase of work in Haiti. While I have been recieving a small stipend for time spent assiting with volunteer hosting at THI, currently, the organization as a whole is operated on a voluntary basis so as to be able to commit as much funding as possible to ground initiatives rather than to operational costs. For this reason, it is necessary for me to secure my own personal funding for housing, travel, and monthly expenses for the coming year.
During the course of the last nine months, I have been blessed to be surrounded with a community of supporters, friends and partners from countries all around the world whom I have had the opportunity to witness again and again make the choice to believe in and invest thier own money, prayers, and other resources into the work that is happening in Haiti. God has used the generosity and displays of compassionate love demonstrated by my friends, family, and even complete strangers-- some of whom have now become cherished friends-- in incrediby powerful ways to keep me encouraged and teach me perserverence by keeping ever before me the knowledge of His perfect timing and provision when things have gotten difficult. If you are able and feel led to do so, I invite you to join in partnership with me. To be added to my list of prayer partners, to find out how you can become a monthly financial partner, or to get more detailed information and updates on the projects that I am working on and other ways that you can become involved, please email me at mary.hooke@gmail.com or call US (919) 360-3899. For one time gifts, click on the paypal button immediately below.
If you are interested in setting up a meeting or a speaking engagement with your church, classroom community or other small group, I would love to have the opportunity to come speak with you as well. Just shoot me an email or give me a call!
Thank you for your consideration and for your interest in partnering with me to support the people and nation of Haiti!
My involvement with THI over the course of the past four months has taught me a great deal about the challenges and rewards, the costs and benefits, and the barriers and opportunities that make up the messy, often difficult and unrelenting, day-in and day-out of relief and development work. There are certain things that a person, no matter how much they prepare, cannot know and understand until experiencing them for themselves-- and for me, this Haiti experience has been one of them. I am, with each day that passes and in ways that I could never have forseen, growing in my depth of love, passion and knowledge of the needs of Haiti and her people, as well as for the field of development work. I am also growing in knowledge of myself: learning my limits- whether internally or externally imposed- while at the same time growing in confidence and wisdom when it comes to the approaches and methods by which I am able to best utilize the skills, gifts and interests that God has given me to most effectively impact the environment in which I currently live and work.
Many of you will know that my heart and passion have long been to serve as an advocate for and minister to the needs of women and children-- particularly girls-- to whom the world and society have largely turned a blind eye, or, in more cruel instances, a purposefully opressive hand. In Haiti, women and girls have long been living in a state of emergency: In a nation where 80% of the population is unemployed and 76% live on less than $2 per day, 1 in 90 women die in childbirth, and 7 of 10 women report being victims of domestic and sexual violence. In the wake of the 2010 earthquake such previously existing problems have been compounded, resulting in already vulnerable populations being put at even greater risk. Single mothers, homeless or displaced women and girls, domestic and sexual violence survivors, former sex workers and prostituted women, and female ex-offenders are populations in particular need of support.
Knowing this, my next year of work in Haiti (I am committed to staying at this time until atleast May 2012) will focus primarily on assisting, largely as an independent agent, in the development of THI's "Core Areas" of Human Rights and Domestic Violence. In collaboration with this organization and with the support of other like-minded agencies and individuals, I will be be working to develop and expand the following projects: Girl's Empowerment through Sports and Art in camps for displaced persons; local outreach through Hospitality and Community Building; Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Survior Support; creating Opportunities for Economic Empowerment through trade education, business planning training, and the creation of Cash for Work and microenterprise options; and finally, a Women's Prison nutrition, sanitation and medical outreach.
Currently, I am in the States, seeking partners who are willing to join me either in prayer or financial partnership as I move forward into this next phase of work in Haiti. While I have been recieving a small stipend for time spent assiting with volunteer hosting at THI, currently, the organization as a whole is operated on a voluntary basis so as to be able to commit as much funding as possible to ground initiatives rather than to operational costs. For this reason, it is necessary for me to secure my own personal funding for housing, travel, and monthly expenses for the coming year.
During the course of the last nine months, I have been blessed to be surrounded with a community of supporters, friends and partners from countries all around the world whom I have had the opportunity to witness again and again make the choice to believe in and invest thier own money, prayers, and other resources into the work that is happening in Haiti. God has used the generosity and displays of compassionate love demonstrated by my friends, family, and even complete strangers-- some of whom have now become cherished friends-- in incrediby powerful ways to keep me encouraged and teach me perserverence by keeping ever before me the knowledge of His perfect timing and provision when things have gotten difficult. If you are able and feel led to do so, I invite you to join in partnership with me. To be added to my list of prayer partners, to find out how you can become a monthly financial partner, or to get more detailed information and updates on the projects that I am working on and other ways that you can become involved, please email me at mary.hooke@gmail.com or call US (919) 360-3899. For one time gifts, click on the paypal button immediately below.
If you are interested in setting up a meeting or a speaking engagement with your church, classroom community or other small group, I would love to have the opportunity to come speak with you as well. Just shoot me an email or give me a call!
Thank you for your consideration and for your interest in partnering with me to support the people and nation of Haiti!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
GVN: Short Reflection on my first 3 months in Haiti
Last week I realized that, as of the beginning of March, I have officially been living and working in Haiti for SIX MONTHS. WHOA! I also realized (*look of shame*) that my commitment to updating friends and family via blog during my time here has been an epic fail, and I haven't done much better in fulfilling my promise to post and send photos, either.
Knowing that it is looonnggg overdue, I've spent the past couple hours attempting to upload a few snapshots from my first three months in the country during which I served as a volunteer through the Global Volunteer Network. Unfortunately, the internet connection here doesn't want to cooperate. I will try again soon when I have another bit of free time and a stronger connection.
In going through all of the photos in search of ones to post, though, I began reflecting on the beginning of my time here, smiling to realize how much has changed between now and then. Since completing my time with GVN, I have in so many ways grown much deeper in knowledge and care for this community and its needs, but it was my involvement in various community projects under the guardianship of that organization that initially served as the launching pad for the rest of the process.
I also smile to think of a number of friends who have come and gone through that organization, leaving their mark on Haiti and my heart. So many fantastic and lovely volunteers from so many countries and backgrounds came through GVN over the course of my first three months in Haiti. It was an inspiration and blessing to have the opportunity to get to know them and to learn from their generosity, talents and stories. My experience as a volunteer alongside these people opened up my heart to this beautiful country and gave me opportunities to learn and to become a part of the community here.
Though my experience with the organization wasn't perfect-- nothing ever is-- it opened doors that have allowed me to continue to be a part of work that is being done here, and that is something for which I am incredibly grateful and that I would not have given up for the world.
* * * *
In the one month following my time with GVN (December), Cholera hit Jacmel in full force and I was consumed with the emergency launch of the Jacmel Cholera initiative with Junior and Ashley-- to which many of you responded with incredible generosity. Following a brief trip home for Christmas, I returned to Haiti on January 1st and I have since been working for an organization called The Haiti Initiative (THI), Social Tap in Cyvadier, just outside the main city of Jacmel.
Stay tuned for updates on my more recent work and experiences of this truly amazing place...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Urgent Need in Jacmel, Haiti
Cholera has finally hit here in Jacmel, and it has hit hard. Over the course of the past three days, the hospitals and clinics here have been struggling to accommodate the growing number of cholera cases and are running short on supplies. As a result, over a hundred people have already died unnecessary deaths.
In order to help fight this epidemic over the coming weeks and months, my team members Ashley (NC), Junior (Haiti) and I are currently working together to set up a Jacmel Cholera Prevention and Treatment Fund, in order for people to be able to donate money that will go directly to supplying the needed treatment for cholera and supplies for cholera prevention in our city.
In the meantime, however, people in our community are dying preventable deaths every day, due to a lack of fluids and proper medication. If you are willing and able, please consider helping us take *immediate* action against this epidemic in one of the following ways:
(1) Send donations directly through Western Union.
Due to election-related demonstrations, many parts of downtown Jacmel are shut down this week, and I unfortunately do not have access to my bank account. However, I can still pick up money from Western Union. Sending money this way will enable Ashley, Junior and I to go out immediately and buy IV solution, azythromycin, and doxycycline-- all essential for the treatment of cholera, and all available in and around our city. We will then be able to deliver these materials to the appropriate medical facilities-- including but not limited to Jacmel's Saint-Michel Hospital, a nearby emergency cholera rehydration clinic, and a Cuban hospital in the neighboring city of Cayes Jacmel.
(2) Give through PayPal.
One of the absolute most important supplies needed for the treatment of cholera is rehydration salts. The bacteria itself is not what kills people-- it is severe dehydration that causes death. Unfortunately, rehydration salts are not available in Jacmel, and are in short supply at the hospitals here, as they are forced to rely solely on donations from outside the country. In order to get these materials to medical centers in Jacmel as soon as possible, I plan to travel to Miami next weekend (December 17th) to purchase the rehydration salts, and will return to Haiti to deliver them before coming back to the states on December 22nd. This is the most cost effective and secure way to get medical supplies into the country and directly into the hands of the people that need them most, especially given the urgency and time-sensitive nature of the need here. Any money sent to my PayPal account will go towards buying this precious supply and delivering it to the medical facilities in Jacmel.
To give through PayPal, click on the button below:
(3) Invite others to help.
If you know anyone who you think would have a desire to give, or to transport materials to Haiti, please do not hesitate to pass this email on or to send them my contact information. You can also invite them to follow our efforts on facebook by joining the group "Help Fight Cholera in Jacmel, Haiti."
If you have any questions or want more information on the situation here, feel free to email or to call me anytime at 1 (919) 360 3899. It is a US originating number, and so will be free of international charges for those of you who are US residents. You can also find me on Skype under the name mary.hooke.
Thank you for your love and concern for the people of Haiti, and for your continued prayers and support.
With appreciation and hope,
Mary
In order to help fight this epidemic over the coming weeks and months, my team members Ashley (NC), Junior (Haiti) and I are currently working together to set up a Jacmel Cholera Prevention and Treatment Fund, in order for people to be able to donate money that will go directly to supplying the needed treatment for cholera and supplies for cholera prevention in our city.
In the meantime, however, people in our community are dying preventable deaths every day, due to a lack of fluids and proper medication. If you are willing and able, please consider helping us take *immediate* action against this epidemic in one of the following ways:
(1) Send donations directly through Western Union.
Due to election-related demonstrations, many parts of downtown Jacmel are shut down this week, and I unfortunately do not have access to my bank account. However, I can still pick up money from Western Union. Sending money this way will enable Ashley, Junior and I to go out immediately and buy IV solution, azythromycin, and doxycycline-- all essential for the treatment of cholera, and all available in and around our city. We will then be able to deliver these materials to the appropriate medical facilities-- including but not limited to Jacmel's Saint-Michel Hospital, a nearby emergency cholera rehydration clinic, and a Cuban hospital in the neighboring city of Cayes Jacmel.
(2) Give through PayPal.
One of the absolute most important supplies needed for the treatment of cholera is rehydration salts. The bacteria itself is not what kills people-- it is severe dehydration that causes death. Unfortunately, rehydration salts are not available in Jacmel, and are in short supply at the hospitals here, as they are forced to rely solely on donations from outside the country. In order to get these materials to medical centers in Jacmel as soon as possible, I plan to travel to Miami next weekend (December 17th) to purchase the rehydration salts, and will return to Haiti to deliver them before coming back to the states on December 22nd. This is the most cost effective and secure way to get medical supplies into the country and directly into the hands of the people that need them most, especially given the urgency and time-sensitive nature of the need here. Any money sent to my PayPal account will go towards buying this precious supply and delivering it to the medical facilities in Jacmel.
To give through PayPal, click on the button below:
(3) Invite others to help.
If you know anyone who you think would have a desire to give, or to transport materials to Haiti, please do not hesitate to pass this email on or to send them my contact information. You can also invite them to follow our efforts on facebook by joining the group "Help Fight Cholera in Jacmel, Haiti."
If you have any questions or want more information on the situation here, feel free to email or to call me anytime at 1 (919) 360 3899. It is a US originating number, and so will be free of international charges for those of you who are US residents. You can also find me on Skype under the name mary.hooke.
Thank you for your love and concern for the people of Haiti, and for your continued prayers and support.
With appreciation and hope,
Mary
Friday, August 20, 2010
Un/Re/Packing
Now with just over a week ahead of me before I set foot in Port-au-Prince, Haiti for the first time, I am scrambling to get everything that I don't need for the next few months into storage and to re-pack the things that I will need in the most minimalist but functional way possible. Typically, I am one who tends to overpack, and yet still somehow fail to be prepared with the things that I need the most-- which might very well make me the worst kind of traveller. Fortunately, though, this time I have been provided with a detailed packing list and a plethora of advice from those already on the ground on what to bring and (just as important) what not to bring. I expect that the reality of Haiti's current situation will throw into sharp relief the materialism and greed in my own heart, and I can't help but wonder as I pack how I am later going to feel about all of this time and energy spent on choosing, and often purchasing, the "right things" to take along. For now, I feel that I am being practical, but I do wonder how my perspective on what is practical or necessary will change after spending some time in Haiti.
*A small snapshot of a few of the "essentials" that I am carrying with me to Haiti:*
Prayer book: Laminated so as to remain durable during the Haitian rainy season (thanks to my kindergarten teacher friend!), and signed by all of the ladies in my women's group from Korea, this book is filled with hand-written messages to remind me that our God is infinitely great and loving, and that He never leaves us alone, not even for a minute; that even in our moments of greatest loneliness and despair, He is never far away. Along with this gift, the ladies also gifted me a signed tie die t-shirt, so that I can keep a reminder of their love wrapped closely around my heart anytime I feel the need. These items are precious to me.
-Antimalarials and mosquito nets: These items are also precious to me, for very different reasons. Remaining healthy and able to work will be a constant prayer of mine over the next three months. Outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, and other diseases have been growing steadily in the wake of the quake, and with the slow pace of reconstruction and the onslought of the rainy season, it does not seem likely that this trend will be changing anytime soon. In taking the necessary precautions and with the knowledge of my friends' and family's prayers for protection behind me, however, I feel comfortable that I am not taking any unneccesary risks.
-Hiking boots, a cot, and a raincoat: What do these three items have in common? They are all essentials to surving the oft-referenced Hatian rainy season, of which the country will reach it's peak during my stay. You've probably heard by now that this hurricane season is slated to potentially be among the most severe in recent history. With an estimated 1.3 million persons displaced and living in conditions that leave them extremely vulnerable to the elements, even a smaller storm could potentially have devastating consequences. I hope that you will join me in vigilantly praying against this, because another destructive natural disaster is really the last thing that Haiti needs or is prepared to tolerate right now.
-Clothing and vitamin donations from The Summit: This coming Sunday my home church campus is holding a donation drive for my trip to Haiti. I wrote a short post for the Summit West Club Campus blog to announce my trip, and have been asked by the campus pastor there to continue to write updates throughout my time in Haiti. The community at that particular campus has expressed a desire to cover my trip in prayer, and will be setting aside time at the end of each service this Sunday to pray for me and the work in which I'll be participating. I am so blessed and challenged by the generous display of Christ's love that I have experienced in my church, even after being away for so long. And even more beautiful is the fact that I will be able to take the Summit's donations with me to Haiti in my luggage thanks to funds provided by members of my church family in Korea to cover the excess baggage fees. I have been doubly blessed to have found such wonderful community in two distant parts of the world who are each so willing to care for me even when I am physically separated from them by countries, continents and months at a time. I am excited to share their love and care with the people of Haiti.
- Messages from Korean Children: In my final weeks of leading summer camps at Choji Middle school, I showed my students a video of Haiti, and I talked with them about my trip and what I plan to do while I am there. I then gave them the opportunity to respond by writing or drawing notes to convey messages of solidarity with the the children of Haiti, which I plan to hand deliver to the kids that I will be working with.
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In yellow: "I hope your country will heal soon and grow strong."
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Now that the US and Korea are out...
... I'm all about BRAZIL! In solidarity with the people of Haiti, I will be supporting Brazil for the remainder of the World Cup. Don't quite follow the logic? I'll explain. Since deciding to go to Haiti, I've been keeping up with the blogs of volunteers who are currently on the ground with the organization that I'll be working for. Here's an excerpt from a post by one of them describing Haiti's enthusiastic support for Brazil and the reason behind it:
I began asking around about why the Haitians LOVE Brazil soccer so much and the answer was really touching. On January 12th when the earthquake shook this country upside down, the entire Haitian soccer team was killed. Apparently they were meeting at the time at their practice facility and the coach stepped out for a moment when the quake hit and the building fell, crushing all of them…leaving the coach to endure the loss completely on his own... With the death of the team also went hope and an image of Haiti that was strong. A team that represented courage and passion for these people. So when they lost their team, they needed a new one to rally around. And according to the locals here, they have always loved the Brazil team because they creamed the Haitians-and if you’re good enough to cream the Haitians, you’re good enough to have their support. So it was no question then who the Haitians would rally around for the 2010 World Cup. And that they did. At the bar on Sunday when Brazil scored each of their 3 goals, it felt like I was in South Africa-watching a celebration worth sharing.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Dysfunctional
I'm a week late in posting this Father's Day tribute, but I recently came across the following quote on Don Miller's blog and was moved to write about it. I don't necessarily entirely agree with the whole premise of the post, but this quote stuck out at me in a pretty profound way.
By a lot of people's standards, my earthly family would easily qualify as a dysfunctional one. My family has fought and struggled my entire life. But we have also LOVED one another immensely. And the quality of my Heavenly Father described in the quote above is one that has been modeled and taught to me by my earthly father throughout the course of my entire life.
Time and again my dad has preached this same message over me. Just last month, when I was falling into doubt after making the decision to go to Haiti, questioning whether it was really God's will and desire that I was seeking in going there, or if it was actually my own self-will, my father was there to speak this exact truth into my life-- he reminded me that God wants me to live, to follow my passions, to be bold and fearless. That I have been given the freedom by my Heavenly Father to love and serve in crazy ways. And that in light of that, nothing else matters.
And it turns out that this is a truth that I can hold to and believe, in large part, because my father here on this earth has impressed it upon me so heavily. For this and for so many things, Dad, I'm thankful to you.
And cheers to our dysfunctional family, because God sure has blessed me richly through it!
"If God has something specific for you, you’ll know, I promise. But if He is setting a box of crayons down in front of you (a box of crayons called life) then by all means draw. He’s taught you right from wrong, good from bad, beautiful from profane, so draw. He will be with you, proud of you, cheering you on, so draw. He loves you, so draw in the inspiration of the knowledge of His love. Draw a purple horse, a red ocean, a nine-legged dog, it doesn’t matter. Lets stop being so afraid. Lets live, and show the world what it really means to be grateful we don’t live in a dysfunctional family."
By a lot of people's standards, my earthly family would easily qualify as a dysfunctional one. My family has fought and struggled my entire life. But we have also LOVED one another immensely. And the quality of my Heavenly Father described in the quote above is one that has been modeled and taught to me by my earthly father throughout the course of my entire life.
Time and again my dad has preached this same message over me. Just last month, when I was falling into doubt after making the decision to go to Haiti, questioning whether it was really God's will and desire that I was seeking in going there, or if it was actually my own self-will, my father was there to speak this exact truth into my life-- he reminded me that God wants me to live, to follow my passions, to be bold and fearless. That I have been given the freedom by my Heavenly Father to love and serve in crazy ways. And that in light of that, nothing else matters.
And it turns out that this is a truth that I can hold to and believe, in large part, because my father here on this earth has impressed it upon me so heavily. For this and for so many things, Dad, I'm thankful to you.
And cheers to our dysfunctional family, because God sure has blessed me richly through it!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
PLANS!!
After MUCH debate, a few complications, and a flight change, I have finally set firm dates for my plans in the upcoming months. I can't say for sure that these won't change, but at this point I certainly don't intend for them to!
THE PLAN:
July 31st- Aug. 11th HOME!!
Aug. 12th(ish)-15th GEORGIA
Aug.15th- 22nd Back in Durham/Chapel Hill for a week
Aug. 23rd- 27th CHARLESTON
Aug. 28th-31st St. Petersburg, FL with my parents and brother
Aug. 31st Arrive and get settled into my compound in HAITI!!
Sept. 1st Volunteer orientation
Sept. 2nd- Nov. 27th Work in the IDP camps
Nov. 28th Back home in time to spend the holidays with my family
There is not a single part of the plan that I am not literally jumping-out-of-my-chair excited about! I'm beside myself with gratitude to my beautiful family and friends for your continual prayers and support-- I can't wait to see many of you *very* soon!!
THE PLAN:
July 31st- Aug. 11th HOME!!
Aug. 12th(ish)-15th GEORGIA
Aug.15th- 22nd Back in Durham/Chapel Hill for a week
Aug. 23rd- 27th CHARLESTON
Aug. 28th-31st St. Petersburg, FL with my parents and brother
Aug. 31st Arrive and get settled into my compound in HAITI!!
Sept. 1st Volunteer orientation
Sept. 2nd- Nov. 27th Work in the IDP camps
Nov. 28th Back home in time to spend the holidays with my family
There is not a single part of the plan that I am not literally jumping-out-of-my-chair excited about! I'm beside myself with gratitude to my beautiful family and friends for your continual prayers and support-- I can't wait to see many of you *very* soon!!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Inarticulate...
It is in my nature to search for answers-- to always strive to make sense out of things; to find meaning in paradox. But sometimes-- often times-- I can't. And right now, as I look forward to my trip to Haiti and as I delve deeper in my knowledge of both the spirit and the suffering of the people there, I feel that inability perhaps as acutely as I ever have in my life. I am living in a kind of in between world-- knowing that I am about to experience something in which I will certainly be changed, knowing that my heart is necessarily already being given to people I have never met, and yet remaining committed to my day to day life in the here and now. And each time I sit to write about the tangle of anticipation, fears, hopes, sadness, uncertainty, sureness of purpose, burdens and blessings that all seem to somehow move together fluidly through my spirit during this time of preparation, words fail me.
In many ways music has been a lifeline for me through this time. One song in particular has given me rest by articulating what I feel I cannot. Its lyrics are unafraid of paradox, of ellipses, of the unanswered. And when I feel incapable of doing it myself, this song speaks the turmoil of my heart out into the world, and speaks the turmoil of the world into my heart.
Oh my God, can I complain?
You take away my firm belief,
And graft my soul upon your grief.
Oh my God.
In many ways music has been a lifeline for me through this time. One song in particular has given me rest by articulating what I feel I cannot. Its lyrics are unafraid of paradox, of ellipses, of the unanswered. And when I feel incapable of doing it myself, this song speaks the turmoil of my heart out into the world, and speaks the turmoil of the world into my heart.
Oh my God, can I complain?
You take away my firm belief,
And graft my soul upon your grief.
Oh my God.
Friday, May 7, 2010
HAITI: Art for Change
The following is an email I received from the president of GVN, the organization through whom I will be traveling to Haiti in August. I read it and felt compelled to share.
"After the news broke about the earthquake, and the immense loss and suffering of the Haitian people, I felt a terrible sense of helplessness. I wanted to contribute in any way that I could, and the most natural way for me was through art," says Kelsey.
"I was incredibly fortunate to travel to Haiti and to see the fortitude of a people who have lost so much but have such a will to recover and try to re-build their lives. I was most struck by the beauty and kindness of the Haitian people. On our last day in Port-au-Prince, after a gruelling 10-hour day, we were meeting with a group of GVN volunteers when the camp leader leaned over to tell me that some of the Haitian women who were cooks in the compound had rushed to prepare a meal for us. Even though we had only been there an hour, they had managed to put together a feast. These women had endured so much loss, and yet they wanted to share with us. I was both humbled and inspired by their generosity.
"It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the situation in Haiti because the needs are so great, but this is exactly why we must get involved. When a nation of people has lost everything, even the smallest gesture is a great gift. Every effort, no matter how large or small, will have an impact, whether through donations, volunteering or spreading the word and encouraging friends and family to get involved," says Kelsey.
The common theme running throughout Kelsey's drawings is the message of hope for a people who have endured so much, yet have such strength, passion and faith in the future. Please show your support by sharing her artwork with your friends and family or by purchasing one of the drawings which will give the gift of hope to so many. 50% of the sale price of each print will go directly to the Haiti Relief Fund. [The other 50% goes directly to the artist.]
HAITI - ART FOR CHANGE: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/art_for_change/
With gratitude,
Colin Salisbury
Founder and President
Dear Mary,
"After the news broke about the earthquake, and the immense loss and suffering of the Haitian people, I felt a terrible sense of helplessness. I wanted to contribute in any way that I could, and the most natural way for me was through art," says Kelsey.
"I was incredibly fortunate to travel to Haiti and to see the fortitude of a people who have lost so much but have such a will to recover and try to re-build their lives. I was most struck by the beauty and kindness of the Haitian people. On our last day in Port-au-Prince, after a gruelling 10-hour day, we were meeting with a group of GVN volunteers when the camp leader leaned over to tell me that some of the Haitian women who were cooks in the compound had rushed to prepare a meal for us. Even though we had only been there an hour, they had managed to put together a feast. These women had endured so much loss, and yet they wanted to share with us. I was both humbled and inspired by their generosity.
"It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the situation in Haiti because the needs are so great, but this is exactly why we must get involved. When a nation of people has lost everything, even the smallest gesture is a great gift. Every effort, no matter how large or small, will have an impact, whether through donations, volunteering or spreading the word and encouraging friends and family to get involved," says Kelsey.
The common theme running throughout Kelsey's drawings is the message of hope for a people who have endured so much, yet have such strength, passion and faith in the future. Please show your support by sharing her artwork with your friends and family or by purchasing one of the drawings which will give the gift of hope to so many. 50% of the sale price of each print will go directly to the Haiti Relief Fund. [The other 50% goes directly to the artist.]
HAITI - ART FOR CHANGE: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/
With gratitude,
Colin Salisbury
Founder and President
Global Volunteer Network
http://www.
Monday, April 12, 2010
HAITI
There is not a single person I know who was not rocked by the news of Haiti's January 12th earthquake.
As updates about the extent of the devastation in Haiti filtered out to the world, we were all overcome with heavy hearts for the people of that nation. The horrifying images and stories that emerged were made all the more heart wrenching knowing that the poverty and destitution left in the earthquake's wake was not a far cry from the kind of abject poverty in which many Haitians have long been living. And despite the fact that the news about Haiti has begun to fade into the background of our world's media consciousness, this burden on the hearts of the world community to meet the needs of the Haitian people persists.
In response, I have decided to take a few months off from Korea to go to Haiti and offer what I can to the relief efforts there. I have secured a volunteer position working with internally displaced women, children and youth living in camps Pinchinat and Kay Wolf near Jacmel. I am scheduled to begin work this coming September.
If all proceeds as planned, I will be coming home from Korea at the beginning of August to prepare for my trip. I will leave for Port-au-Prince on August 30th and begin working September 1st at the IDP camp. I hope to save and raise enough money to be able to stay in Haiti for at least 3 months. I then plan to return to South Korea in January 2011.
As we all well know, Haiti cannot currently afford the cost of hosting the many volunteer workers that they so desperately need, so it is going to cost over $4000 out of pocket to make this trip possible. Though this amount looms large alongside its July 1st deadline, I am confident that through hard work, pinching every penny, and the generosity of others, this goal is achievable.
If you are able and feel moved to do so, I invite you to partner with me by offering your financial support. Even if you can only give a dollar or two, every little bit goes a long way, and by working together in this we can each play a small but vital part in helping the people and nation of Haiti to regain their strength, health and security. (Please contact me at mary.hooke@gmail.com if you are interested in giving or learning more-- Or click on the button below to make a secure donation through PayPal.)
I have spoken to many friends and family members who would LOVE nothing more than to be able to go themselves and offer support and aid in response to this crisis, but who for various reasons have ties that prevent them from being able to pick up and leave home for months at a time. I realize that I have been given a HUGE gift in the degree of freedom and flexibility available to me right now, and I want to honor you all, as well as our world community, by making good use of that gift.
To those who have been reading this blog for the last 9 months, I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for following along with me on my journey so far. The support of my friends and family has meant the world to me throughout my time overseas, and I want to let you know, in case you didn't already, just how much I value your thoughts, prayers, letters, care packages, and emails. Knowing that you are there for me and that you still go out of your way to show me that I am loved despite the distance between us has meant more than you will ever know. You have inspired me to continue the adventure and, more importantly, to take the love that you give and pay it forward.
As updates about the extent of the devastation in Haiti filtered out to the world, we were all overcome with heavy hearts for the people of that nation. The horrifying images and stories that emerged were made all the more heart wrenching knowing that the poverty and destitution left in the earthquake's wake was not a far cry from the kind of abject poverty in which many Haitians have long been living. And despite the fact that the news about Haiti has begun to fade into the background of our world's media consciousness, this burden on the hearts of the world community to meet the needs of the Haitian people persists.
In response, I have decided to take a few months off from Korea to go to Haiti and offer what I can to the relief efforts there. I have secured a volunteer position working with internally displaced women, children and youth living in camps Pinchinat and Kay Wolf near Jacmel. I am scheduled to begin work this coming September.
If all proceeds as planned, I will be coming home from Korea at the beginning of August to prepare for my trip. I will leave for Port-au-Prince on August 30th and begin working September 1st at the IDP camp. I hope to save and raise enough money to be able to stay in Haiti for at least 3 months. I then plan to return to South Korea in January 2011.
As we all well know, Haiti cannot currently afford the cost of hosting the many volunteer workers that they so desperately need, so it is going to cost over $4000 out of pocket to make this trip possible. Though this amount looms large alongside its July 1st deadline, I am confident that through hard work, pinching every penny, and the generosity of others, this goal is achievable.
If you are able and feel moved to do so, I invite you to partner with me by offering your financial support. Even if you can only give a dollar or two, every little bit goes a long way, and by working together in this we can each play a small but vital part in helping the people and nation of Haiti to regain their strength, health and security. (Please contact me at mary.hooke@gmail.com if you are interested in giving or learning more-- Or click on the button below to make a secure donation through PayPal.)
I have spoken to many friends and family members who would LOVE nothing more than to be able to go themselves and offer support and aid in response to this crisis, but who for various reasons have ties that prevent them from being able to pick up and leave home for months at a time. I realize that I have been given a HUGE gift in the degree of freedom and flexibility available to me right now, and I want to honor you all, as well as our world community, by making good use of that gift.
To those who have been reading this blog for the last 9 months, I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for following along with me on my journey so far. The support of my friends and family has meant the world to me throughout my time overseas, and I want to let you know, in case you didn't already, just how much I value your thoughts, prayers, letters, care packages, and emails. Knowing that you are there for me and that you still go out of your way to show me that I am loved despite the distance between us has meant more than you will ever know. You have inspired me to continue the adventure and, more importantly, to take the love that you give and pay it forward.
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