Focus on Haiti (Multitude Monday - #67-80)

When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm - Psalm 75:3

This Wednesday marks the 1 year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that rocked the Caribbean island of Haiti. A few months ago, I wrote about how the quake affected my family as missionaries, how I felt as their daughter living in Africa at the time and ultimately about the people. You can read that here in part 1 and part 2.

For today's gifts, I would like to focus on that little island, my birthplace, my Haiti and what God has done in this past year in many areas surrounding that.

Gratitude - a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation, as for gifts or favours;

the state of feeling grateful

#67 - 365 more days that I have had to love on and to grow closer to my mom and dad

#68 - an EVEN deeper appreciation for the fragility of life

#69 - the tenacity of the Haitian people in the face of their greatest foe/event yet

#70 - the world-wide awareness of the impoverished condition of the Haitian people

#71 - the precious people who have given of their finances to clothe a child, build a school, or feed a family

#72 - the powerful prayer warriors who lifted up not only Haiti & its people but also our family

#73 - the teams/groups who have given up their vacation time and invested their personal money into going to Haiti to build, to sort, to give, or to JUST be a blessing in whatever way possible

#74 - for the churches who have rallied behind the missionaries (Mom & Dad included) in prayer, in financial support, in fundraising, and in love

#75 - for great businesses including but not limited to our local Rotary Clubs who donated over 1,400 Christmas present shoeboxes for school children in Haiti as well as others who gave in numerous ways - financially, publicity, awareness, support, etc.

#76 - the brainchild of people like my husband and others who have championed behind the 1st annual With Love, Haiti event to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the quake

#77 - the many donors, including our host site, who are making this event a reality

#78 - my sister & her husband who worked SO hard for SO many hours helping to get supplies and funds in to help towards the earthquake relief, especially in those first 6 months of "survival living"

#79 - the support of an AMAZING extended family who has rallied behind us in prayer, in finances, in video, in raising awareness, in baking, in packing and unpacking and loading and unloading -- YOU GUYS ARE THE BOMB!!

#80 - And certainly, most of all, to the Father in Heaven who kept His hand so graciously upon my parents and this island, proving once again that HE is NOT a man that he should lie.

I have joined The Gratitude Community -- a place to be inspired by others and what God is doing in their lives, a chance to share my own journey of gratitude, and an opportunity to REMEMBER to be grateful in ALL things. So on Mondays, I will add to my list of 1000 gifts of all the graces God has provided in my life. Would you consider joining me? Even if you don't blog, you can join the gratitude community by starting a gratitude journal, mentionning your gifts on Facebook, or sending e-mails to your friends. Let's work together to help in creating a more thankful, joyous world!!