Thursday, January 14, 2010

My hiatus break on blogging for food -- my thoughts are with Haiti and please help!


I am unable to edit food photos and blog about recipes, because my heart is very heavy.  I am thinking of Haiti-- and remembering the one time that my cruise ship stopped there, in the 80's.  I took a tour of the area where the earthquake has leveled so many buildings.  I was touched by the poverty of these people.  As I returned to my cruise ship-- and the abundance of food, I was deeply touched by the dichotomy that I had so many choices of food to eat.  I remember the faces of the Haitians--begging for us to throw them money, as we stood along the ship's balconies. I remember that, weeks later, the cruise ships stopped coming to Haiti.  The tourists felt it was "too depressing".  Because I have never forgotten what I saw, I feel a sense of sorrow for this country. It's such a tragedy that this country, that already suffers from so much poverty, has been hit with such devastation.  It just doesn't feel right for me to share photos of food-- which I am blessed to have so abundantly.

UPDATE: My local paper printed this information:

 How to donate to Haitian relief efforts:
  • The Salvation Army is accepting donations online at www.gosalarmy.org, by phone at 800-725-2769 or by mail at The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728. Designate donations "Haiti Earthquake." ·
  • Haiti Emergency Relief Fund is accepting donations online at www.haitiaction.net or checks made out to Haiti Emergency Relief Fund/EBSC and mailed to East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, 2362 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704.
  • Interaction, a coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, has a list of agencies responding and how to donate to them. See www.interaction.org/ crisis-list/earthquake-Haiti.
  • To donate $10 to the American Red Cross, text Haiti to 90999. The amount will be added to your next phone bill. The organization is also accepting donations through its International Response Fund, www.redcross.org.
Help Haiti Now
     If anyone has any other recommendations, please post the info on my blog.  We can all be ripples to reach out to the plight of these lovely people.  My thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost what little they had-- and for the relief workers who are already trying to make a difference!
    I did find this one website, and I also took the liberty of using their photo.   As food bloggers, please join hands in spreading ways we can help.  I'm a prayer warrior. If you are, too, please pray for this country. They need help!

    With a heavy heart,

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