Children's Garage Sale/Bake for Haitii

I have said this often, and no doubt will say it again, but I truly love my neighbors.

We each were heartbroken as we watched the devastation of Haiti by the recent earthquake on that already struggling country. As I spoke with my dear dear Haitian friends, who I loved serving with for years in Boston, our heartache grew deeper as the fears for loved ones on the island grew stronger.

As we discussed this as a neighborhood we knew we had to help (most of our neighbors had already made generous contributions but wanted to help even more). But more importantly, our children wanted to help the Haitian children. I was so touched and humbled to watch our children and our sweet neighbors mobilize to somehow find a way to make even a small difference on the world.

We decided that we we would turn the entire cul-de-sac into a garage sale and bake sale. Our children gathered some of their loved possessions. Our neighbors literally stayed up ALL NIGHT baking the most amazing treats. (On a side note, one neighbor in particular that baked the bulk of the bakery worthy treats did so all the while preparing to leave for China just two weeks later to bring her home her beautiful son). The night before we had a pizza party and made posters to dot our town to attract people to our sale. The men gathered early in morning to set up for the sale. Hours and hours of efforts were made.

The sale was a huge success. Our children raised $705 in a few short hours. But more than the money that was raised was the hope that was ignited. In these trying times, it was so uplifting to watch our children learn that they have the power and the ability to change heartbreak in the world.

Our neighborhood has always been very close but on that cold morning as I watched these children work so hard, I felt an even greater outpouring of love for these good people. It is funny how service, more than anything else in the world, brings people together more.