Yesterday I received an unexpected phone call from my girlfriend Anne. The reason it was unexpected is because she is currently in Haiti working with CARE Canada to help the survivors of the earthquake.
Although our conversation was brief (because the connection kept breaking up) I was able to hear the joy in her voice. She told me that she knows the work she is doing there with CARE is saving lives. She told me that yesterday morning she attended a memorial for all the women that lost their lives in the earthquake. She said it was a beautiful gathering and that it was more hopeful and joyous than it was sad. She told me the Haitian people truly are some of the strongest human beings she’s had the pleasure of meeting. I can hear in her voice that their spirit is giving her energy for the work she is doing.
After getting off the phone with her I took a moment to be thankful for all the people in the world like her. Thank God for the special people who abandon their comfortable and privileged lives to help those in need. I am so proud of my friend. Her will is inspiring.
It makes me think about my son and the man he will grow up to be. Will he one day travel the world in the hopes of lending himself to help others in need? Maybe he will, or maybe his contribution to the greater good of our society will come in a different form all together. Maybe he’ll smile at a stranger who needs it. Or maybe he’ll be able to make financial contributions to charities that find cures, donate items to the less fortunate, or offer support to those walking a lone path. Regardless I know it is up to me to teach him the spirit of giving by example.
This entry is dedicated to my beautiful friend Anne.
I am a volunteer with World Vision but do to the fact tha tI have a 3 year old, I'm not able to volunteer over-seas just yet. It is my plan for the future and it is people like your friend that make me feel so blessed to witness such fabulous, self-less acts of kindness. I hope her journey blesses her heart and soul with the strength of the Haitian people! My husband's entire family is from St. Lucia and I can honestly say that the Caribbean culture in general inspires me everyday by their simplicity and ability to smile, sing and be joyous even through hard times.
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