Holding out with hope

Rain is falling from the skies of Sacramento on this day to honor the late Martin Luther King, Jr.

We have not been able to make additional contact with our family in Haiti. The phone lines continue to be down in the entire country. Our family has very limited ability to access a computer so that option is not available to us. Robert and I continue to have faith in something greater than this tragedy. We are trying to move through our daily life with hopeful hearts. We shed tears daily, but we are grateful to have each other as support other during this extremely difficult time.

While some are avoiding the news, we hold on to that as the only connection with our Haitian family and friends. Occasionally, we see a familiar face on the television and celebrate life. We hold onto the hope-filled stories of rescue and aid reaching those in need.

Understandably, tensions are growing in Port-au-Prince. Our Haitian brothers and sisters are thirsty and hungry clinging to precious life. I am always amazed by the echoes of patience expressed by my husband who has been tested so many times before. His empathy for those who are hungry and thirsty stems from a genuine understanding of what it means to have a dry mouth and pangs of hunger in your belly. I am humbled with every bit of food or drink that I have available to me.

The ILAC program which afforded me the opportunity to volunteer in the Dominican Republic and become connected with Haiti is sending supplies, water filters and actively setting up triage centers with surgeons and healthcare professionals along the border. Partners in Health and Doctors without Borders are actively trying to get medical care to those in need.

As news of the Haitian struggle begins to fade, I have been encouraged to continue communicating through our upcoming trip to Haiti. I will do my best to honor my Haitian family in this regard. Our blog address: http://haiti-norton-laneau.blogspot.com
For those of you, like me, who are technologically challenged I will continue to send emails. Please feel free to let me know if you don’t wish to receive these emails any longer and I will remove your address from the list.

One of my professors from when I attended physical therapy school retired and now has a business with Mary Kay. She sent the following message and attached flyers for those of you who may purchase these types of products. Thank you Dr. Knutson for helping Haiti.

“I’m attaching the flyer in the event you want to share it with others you know and build the contributions resulting. I can do even more than the flyer states and include this on all products of $10 or more now through the end of January. Those who order could do so at my website http://www.marykay.com/LKnutson . They can use secure online payment and should enter “Charlotte and Robert” on the comment line. I ship free for orders over $40 but if they want to pay shipping I will contribute that additional amount to Red Cross.”

Thank you to everyone who is sending positive energy and powerful prayers to Haiti. We appreciate all that you do!

Always,
Charlotte & Robert