So many times after a horrific disaster like the one in Haiti, we all want to “do something.” Although we have been told that the best thing we can do right now is to donate cash, many of us still want to help out in a very tangible way.
I can remember a time when my family and I were so grateful for the tangible demonstration of love and support. My parent’s home burned down to the ground several years ago and I felt such a deep and agonizing sense of loss. This was not only my parents’ house, but also the home that I grew up in and where I had made so many family memories. It was so surreal standing there looking into the ashes when my eye caught a glimpse of the pieces of mattress springs that used to be my parents’ bed. The fire had been started by lightning in the wee hours of the morning at the time when my parents would have been fast asleep. Thankfully, they were staying the night at my house when lightning struck the house and the fire started, so they were safe with our family. Other than what they had in an overnight bag, they totally lost EVERYTHING.
I can remember how grateful they were for even the smallest of things like a tooth brush, tooth paste, soap and a wash cloth. It was family and friends gathering around them and “doing something” that helped them through this very dark time. Their lives were even touched by strangers who heard their story. They gradually came out of the darkness and gained new hope again. The Savior was holding their hands and walking with them through this terrible ordeal. God’s children were surely the hands and feet of Jesus as they ministered to my parents and my family. I am glad that these people took the time to “do something.”
Are you looking for a tangible way to show you care about the families and orphans of Haiti?
Do you wish that you could show Jesus’ love to hurting people who have lost so much?
Would you like to get your community, church or family involved with a “hands on” project?
There is a way!
Buckner International, with whom Dillon International is affiliated, is collecting medical supplies , new clothing, tents, blankets, shoes, hygiene kits and other items to send to Haiti's earthquake victims. "One of our biggest needs is for hygiene kits," said Matt Asato, Buckner’s director of humanitarian aid. Each“Relief Hygiene Kit” fulfills immediate needs for basic hygiene products.
Complete hygiene kits include the following items:
* Hand towel
* Wash cloth
* Toothpaste (4.6 oz or larger)
* Toothbrush (in original package)
* Bar of soap (in original package)
* Comb
* Wet wipes
* Shampoo
* Bandages (travel size or larger)
* Tissues - 2 travel pack sizes
* Feminine hygiene products (18 or more in a pack)
To collect and send kits, fill two-gallon sized Ziploc bags with the items listed above and mail or drop them off at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid, located at 5405 Shoe Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149. You can also call the Buckner Center at 214-328-7463 to schedule a time to drop off the kits that you and/or a group have collected.
Please note that Dillon is not equipped to accept these items on Buckner’s behalf.
Other items being collected by the Buckner Center include new clothing, shoes, socks, tents, blankets, baby food, and new medical supplies.
To download a complete list, click here
Buckner is filling four shipping containers with the supplies and will begin shipping the containers as they are filled to Haiti for distribution within the next couple of weeks. Aid will be distributed through the Foundation for the Children of Haiti’s Hope Hospital, which is directed by Gladys Thomas. Hope Hospital has been receiving many casualties from the Port au Prince community as a result of the quake. The Foundation also has three orphanages nearby caring for children ranging in ages from infant through school-aged. Dillon International has worked with Thomas since 1991 finding homes for Haitian children living in the orphanages with U.S. adoptive families.
Thank you for your generosity and prayers for the people of Haiti.
Cherri
cherri@dillonadopt.com
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
ATTENTION-CANCELATION
Due to the empending bad weather for the northern half of Arkansas which is suppose to start tomorrow/tomorrow night, we have decided to cancel the Adoption Information Meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow night (Thursday, January 28, 2010) in Springdale, Arkansas.
If you have any questions, please call or email the Dillon Arkansas Office. Voice: 501-791-9300 Email: dillonAr@dillonadopt.com
If you have any questions, please call or email the Dillon Arkansas Office. Voice: 501-791-9300 Email: dillonAr@dillonadopt.com
Thursday, January 21, 2010
HAITI...Some Questions and Answers
If you are like me, you have been stunned and consumed with pain for the Haitian people over this last week. I just cannot get it off of my mind. Therefore, I will postpone the adoption financing series for a little while longer. If you are in urgent need of adoption financing ideas or a resource list, please email me at cherri@dillonadopt.com
I have had a million and one questions going through my head about this. Many of you do as well, so I thought I would try to answer some of them here.
What about all of the newly orphaned children in Haiti?
Dillon International has received literally hundreds of calls about this tragedy. Families are calling to ask what they can do to help and about the welfare and future of Haiti’s orphans. We greatly appreciate all of the families who want to respond by offering to open their homes and adopt these children in their hour of need. As in any disaster of this magnitude, the children who may have been orphaned because of the earthquake would not become available for international adoption for at least 1-2 years to allow time to be reunited with their displaced family members. This is a first priority!
What about all the orphans in Haiti waiting to be adopted? I have been watching the various news sources to see how the Haitian and U.S. governments would respond to this overwhelming need. The United States State Department has issued something called Humanitarian Parole for the Haitian orphans who were already in process of being adopted and for the children who had been referred for adoption prior to the earthquake. There are still many questions and logistics that need to be worked out for the remaining orphans that do not fall into these two categories listed above. For additional information, please read the US State Department's notice regarding Children Affected by Natural Disasters and the announcement from Secretary Napolitano regarding
Humanitarian Parole Policy for Certain Haitian orphans
Dillon has a special web page that will be updated as more information becomes available. You will be able to find information on the status of adoptions from Haiti http://www.dillonadopt.com/Haiti-a.htm or you can find information on how you can donate to the orphanages Dillon supports in Haiti. http://www.dillonadopt.com/Haiti-Aid.htm
What about orphans in the rest of the world?
There is so much worldwide attention focusing on Haiti right now it might be easy to forget that there are still over 140 million orphans worldwide. While the situation in Haiti is dire, we at Dillon International would like for you to remember that there are many precious children from all over the world that are still waiting for their forever family right now. We will never understand why God allows things like this to happen, but we much remember that “His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.” God is bigger than this terrible tragedy! Could it be that God is using this traumatic event to help “wake up” the world to the huge needs of orphans everywhere?
What if you believe that God may be calling you to adopt? Have you considered that it might not be for an orphan from Haiti at this time? I know that in my life there have been many times that something happened that created a strong conviction in my heart. Even though I was not able to act on that conviction at that time, God was preparing me and softening my heart for blessings He had planned for my future. Many things happen in our lives that are just equipping us to handle the next challenge that comes our way. It is sort of like building a pyramid. The bottom seemed hard until you worked on the second level. The second level seemed hard until you worked on the third and so on. My life is a whole series of these types of events. What about yours? Can you see how God was preparing you for something months or years in advance? Have you ever thought to yourself, “Wow, I never could have handled this if I hadn’t already experienced that?” So what I am saying is this: “Please keep your heart and options open to children from all around the world.”
What if you are not able to adopt? Would you please consider sponsoring a child through Dillon’s orphanCare program? For more information about this option go to Dillon’s orphanCare site. http://www.orphancareintl.org/
What if you cannot adopt or sponsor an orphan? Will you please pray for all orphans worldwide? Pray that they will find supernatural comfort from God, our Father. Pray that all of their needs (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and a forever family) will be met. Pray that God will use the awful events in Haiti to bring good to some many hurting people, especially the orphans!
Praying with you,
Cherri
cherri@dillonadopt.com
www.Facebook.com/Dillon.International
www.twitter.com/DillonAdoptions
I have had a million and one questions going through my head about this. Many of you do as well, so I thought I would try to answer some of them here.
What about all of the newly orphaned children in Haiti?
Dillon International has received literally hundreds of calls about this tragedy. Families are calling to ask what they can do to help and about the welfare and future of Haiti’s orphans. We greatly appreciate all of the families who want to respond by offering to open their homes and adopt these children in their hour of need. As in any disaster of this magnitude, the children who may have been orphaned because of the earthquake would not become available for international adoption for at least 1-2 years to allow time to be reunited with their displaced family members. This is a first priority!
What about all the orphans in Haiti waiting to be adopted? I have been watching the various news sources to see how the Haitian and U.S. governments would respond to this overwhelming need. The United States State Department has issued something called Humanitarian Parole for the Haitian orphans who were already in process of being adopted and for the children who had been referred for adoption prior to the earthquake. There are still many questions and logistics that need to be worked out for the remaining orphans that do not fall into these two categories listed above. For additional information, please read the US State Department's notice regarding Children Affected by Natural Disasters and the announcement from Secretary Napolitano regarding
Humanitarian Parole Policy for Certain Haitian orphans
Dillon has a special web page that will be updated as more information becomes available. You will be able to find information on the status of adoptions from Haiti http://www.dillonadopt.com/Haiti-a.htm or you can find information on how you can donate to the orphanages Dillon supports in Haiti. http://www.dillonadopt.com/Haiti-Aid.htm
What about orphans in the rest of the world?
There is so much worldwide attention focusing on Haiti right now it might be easy to forget that there are still over 140 million orphans worldwide. While the situation in Haiti is dire, we at Dillon International would like for you to remember that there are many precious children from all over the world that are still waiting for their forever family right now. We will never understand why God allows things like this to happen, but we much remember that “His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.” God is bigger than this terrible tragedy! Could it be that God is using this traumatic event to help “wake up” the world to the huge needs of orphans everywhere?
What if you believe that God may be calling you to adopt? Have you considered that it might not be for an orphan from Haiti at this time? I know that in my life there have been many times that something happened that created a strong conviction in my heart. Even though I was not able to act on that conviction at that time, God was preparing me and softening my heart for blessings He had planned for my future. Many things happen in our lives that are just equipping us to handle the next challenge that comes our way. It is sort of like building a pyramid. The bottom seemed hard until you worked on the second level. The second level seemed hard until you worked on the third and so on. My life is a whole series of these types of events. What about yours? Can you see how God was preparing you for something months or years in advance? Have you ever thought to yourself, “Wow, I never could have handled this if I hadn’t already experienced that?” So what I am saying is this: “Please keep your heart and options open to children from all around the world.”
What if you are not able to adopt? Would you please consider sponsoring a child through Dillon’s orphanCare program? For more information about this option go to Dillon’s orphanCare site. http://www.orphancareintl.org/
What if you cannot adopt or sponsor an orphan? Will you please pray for all orphans worldwide? Pray that they will find supernatural comfort from God, our Father. Pray that all of their needs (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and a forever family) will be met. Pray that God will use the awful events in Haiti to bring good to some many hurting people, especially the orphans!
Praying with you,
Cherri
cherri@dillonadopt.com
www.Facebook.com/Dillon.International
www.twitter.com/DillonAdoptions
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