"What can I do?"

I know this question has plagued us all this last week with the devastation in Haiti. We have asked that question over and over again here at Green Acres. Yesterday, while at church, our Deacon Linda put it into perspective for the Millers. She talked about how personal this tragedy was to her with her outreach work in Haiti over the years. She also reminded us of how lucky we all were to be in homes with electricity, clean and running water, food to eat and medical attention if we needed it.

Linda talked about the faith of the people of Haiti and how they were probably praying and fully relying on God at this point to get them through. She said our first priority is to remember them in Prayer. Prayer is the foundation to get us through and without prayer where would we be. Secondly she talked about a foundation called Heart to Heart International. http://www.hearttoheart.org/. We as a congregation are going to be assembling Heart to Heart Care kits. These personal hygiene kits help disaster survivors fight water-borne and airborne diseases that linger long after a crisis hits their region. Below is a list of what is in these kits.

• One new hand towel
• One new washcloth
• One wide-tooth comb
• One small bottle of
shampoo
• One new individually
wrapped toothbrush
• One travel size tube
of toothpaste
• Ten (10) adhesive
bandages
• One individually
wrapped bath size
bar of soap
• One plastic travel
size soap dish
• Two (2) one-gallon
size zipper seal bags

Here are the instructions for these kits:

1. Place all items in one zipper seal bag,
seal it, and place the top of the filled
bag into the bottom of the second bag
and seal it.
2. Collect banana boxes from a local
grocery store, place cardboard or a
paper bag in the bottom, and place
10 completed Care Kits in each box.
3. Complete the Care Kit Information
Form (available online), insert it in an envelope with financial support for shipping
($1.00 per kit), and place the envelope in the box.
4. Secure each box with packing tape and mark the outside of the box “10 Care Kits.”
(If sending multiple boxes, please mark box "Form Inside" so we collect your
information efficiently.)
5. Add necessary shipping information and ship to our warehouse:
Heart to Heart International, 1021 Pacific Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102
© 2006 Heart to Heart International

If you are in the Kansas City area there are many local drives going on. Our parish, St. Peter's Episcopal Church at 100 E Red Bridge Road, will be collecting them and delivering them to Heart to Heart. There is also a collection sight at the Wal-Mart on I-70 and Blue Ridge Blvd.

These are items we all take for granted but are in such need to these children of God. Cameron is out of school today and the boys and I will be making a shopping trip. We are going to take 50% of our grocery budget for the week to do this. Does this mean more Macaroni and Cheese or sandwiches and soup for week? Yes, but at least it will be something warm to eat, and God will provide. Won't you take a moment and see how you can help?