another Haiti post...

I think this version of the We Are The World remake is better than the one they played during the Olympics last night... or is it the same??? Either way, I think it's great. Even if you hate celebrities (dad), watch it anyway.

Also, I wanted to post a link to this blog post, done by a woman volunteering with the UHTF, an awesome Utah based (mostly if not all LDS) charity. She writes what a day is like for them down there, what it consists of. It will break your heart to read her stories about the children.

Read it anyway.

A few more things. Now that you are crying, here is one way you can help. It doesn't cost any money. It doesn't require that you fly to Haiti. But I believe it can and will make a big difference. READ THIS. It's long. It will take probably 10 or 15 minutes to really read and comprehend it. Read it anyway. Ok, now that you took time to read it, here is how you can help. This is an excerpt from a letter I received from Terry Baugh of Kidsave.org

"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have before them The Families for Orphans Act; a bi-partisan bill that would create the Office of Orphan Policy, Diplomacy and Development in the State Department. This Office would build capacity in countries to enable families to raise their children at home instead of putting them in orphanages, and reunite kids currently living in orphanages with a safe family member or adopted by loving parents in their own country. The bill addresses intercountry adoption as part of the solution if it is determined to be in the best interest of the child and a permanent family is not available domestically.

What can you do?

1. Call or write a letter or e-mail to your Members of Congress asking them to become Co-Sponsors of the Families for Orphans Act. You can find your Representatives at www.house.gov and your Senators at www.senate.gov. Feel free to use the following text as a guideline:

“As a constituent of I am requesting that you support the Families for Orphans Act and become a Co-Sponsor of the legislation now. Many of the tragedies in Haiti would not have happened if we had had better global support for permanent family care for countries in need. We hope you will consider standing up for the millions of children around the world growing up in orphanages without the love and support of a permanent family. For information on becoming a Co-Sponsor, please contact Senators Landrieu or Inhofe or Representatives Watson or Boozman.”

2. Sign the Families for Orphans Act petition on the Kidsave website, www.kidsave.org

It is easy. Those websites will tell you who your Representative and Senators are, and give you links to their website where you can email them. The text is provided. Just copy and paste it. It will take 10 more minutes of your day. It could save millions of children. It could bring hundreds of thousands of kids out of dire circumstances to loving nurturing homes. I know it's inconvienent.

Do it anyway.

I have no idea how to turn off this stupid underline. But, please follow these links I gave, and do it. It will be worth your time. Here is one more link. It's less important, but Christine, someone I have never met other than emails, created this site to track the progess of the Families For Orphans Act. If you have more questions about how you can help, you can contact her (or me but this is really all I know). She will encourage you to get your family and friends who live in other states to contact their Representative and Senators as well. (Hunt family, that means I am coming after you).

Thanks friends.