JB

as you may know back in 2008 my family had the amazing chance to go to haiti instead of getting together for christmas. and instead of exchanging christmas presents, we pooled our funds and gave to the people we connected with while in haiti. when we got back to the states, our first family conversation was about how we just couldn't see ourselves going back to spending a ton of money on each other or ourselves for christmas again, when we had fallen in love with the beautiful people we stayed with in haiti and seen how many of their basic needs (food, water, shelter) were not being met.

we decided that each year, instead of presents, we would each draw someone's name to buy for christmas and then whatever money we would have spent on everyone else would be set aside for one person in the family to choose an individual, charity, organization, or cause the funds would go to. it started with the oldest, and will end with the youngest - and we'll throw the in-laws in as they come (so far we haven't had to mess with the oldest to youngest rule!). this year it was jamaica's turn, and she chose an individual for a part of the money and then the rest to be directed to haiti. i am always moved by the fact that haiti was a deep connection for all of us. i don't think there has been one year that someone had the pool and did not direct at least part of the funds to haiti.

jamaica just told us yesterday where we should individually be giving our money, so i hopped onto www.lovehaiti.com to give and tonight i just got an email from joy (great name) who started the organization. she is incredible and has the best heart for haiti. she sent me such an awesome email thanking me (which was humbling to say the least - i couldn't give near as much as i would love to) and then updating me briefly on the goings-on in haiti. she also attached the above picture of johnny boy. a group joy was leading found him sitting in a pile of wet cement. he was left there by his mom who was kicked out of the DR and couldn't feed him - she thought a church group would find him and take him in. that they did and we were GLUED to him for the entire time we were there. he slept with me or with the boys every night and clung to whoever would hold onto him. this little guy is in a framed picture in my office, and i dream of the day i can kiss those sweet cheeks and sing to that boy again.

all this to say - if you want to give to haiti... go to www.lovehaiti.com. and please do.