One Big Relief and the Oddness of Life....

I awoke this morning and immediately checked www.loveachild.com for updates on the status of the orphanage that Clepson lives in. I was SO relieved to find that they have accepted the UN in to their compound and will be continuing their ministry as the UN uses the large property to set up a hospital and recovery tents for the wounded. It is a huge blessing to know that Sherry, Bobby, Bob and Carole and the children and staff will all have good security as the conditions in PAP worsen and many people take to the countryside.

Bobby and Sherry Burnette are two of the most optimistic people I have ever encountered. They are able to see God's blessings in the worst situations. When I received an email from Bobby that said they were living in Hell, I knew conditions were grim. I feared greatly for the safety of the people that I have come to know and love. As bad as the situation is on the news and as much as we all feel a great sadness, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH worse to know a child like Clepson is in the midst of such a huge tragedy. I worried for his safety, I worried for his health (and will continue to do so as disease spreads). To know that young, strong military men will be securing the perimeter of their compound is such a HUGE relief. Please go to the Love a Child website and read how six years ago it was predicted by their Haitian minister that this type of situation would happen.....

The Adventures of Bobby in Haiti

My brother in law is currently en route to Haiti. He will be picking up my new nephew. You know, the one they have been in the process of adopting for the LAST THREE AND ONE HALF years! This story will be complicated.... first of all, my brother in law looks a little bit like Jesus. He is flying in to the North Coast of Haiti. He will travel by car to the orphanage and meet his son for the first time. Isaac seems to be a bright and sassy young man. I am sure they will have a lot in common. Then Bobby will travel, somehow, down south to Port Au Prince... You know, the place that just fell down. The place with stacks of decaying bodies. The place with no food, no water, and ripe for disease. Bobby travels with donated water purifing systems that will hopefully help some of the poor people of Haiti. He will hopefully stay safe, he will hopefully be coming home soon. With little Isaac Patrick.....Stay tuned!

Pray for Haiti

First, Clepson is fine. Sherry and Bobby at Love a Child were kindly very quick to respond to my email about their safety. The orphanage in Fond Parisian was spared and all the employees and children were scared, but fine. Unfortuantely, five of the older children were being housed in a home in Petionville. This was directly on a fault line. They need your prayers. Sherry and Carole (the nurse at love a child) have gone to try to find out if they are ok. No word yet. Donations should be directed to www.loveachild.com I know this organization is very reputable and will spend the money where it is most needed. 800 employees at Doctors Without Borders are unaccounted for. Their three hospitals all sustained a great deal of damage and are unusable. The Medical Advocacy Team is putting together a team of medical persons to go down and help. Email Sarah at sisters3designs@aol.com if you can help. Sarah was in the news today. For more on her story check out http://www.momlogic.com/2010/01/my_4-year-old_son_is_trapped_in_haiti.php My nephew Isaac was within Days of coming home and now must wait!

Hard Answers to EASY Questions

It is so normal for people to make assumptions in making judgments on important issues. Take for instance, Horse Slaughter.....Sounds BAD. We love horses. They are noble beasts. True, they are livestock, a bit like CATTLE, but they evoke an emotion in most people that is more akin to the family dog. For without horses our path to civilization would be far different. So we vote and petition to make slaughter of horses in the U.S. illegal.... And then, we offer no alternatives. So the horses that can no longer be cared for, the horses that people can't afford to feed. The "bad" ones have no home. We euthenize cats and dogs at our local humane society. But, what do they do with the horses. The local horses that are being turned loose in empty fields and left with no food, no shelter, no water at times. These horses become a public charge. OR they slowly die,

yes,

That is SO much more humane. Breeders keep breeding. At the high end they produce better sport horses that excel in many disciplines. On the low end, they produce horses that don't even sell for the minimum bid of $5 at the local auction house. Sales of even nice young horses are slow to nonexistant. It costs about $5000 per year to house and feed a young horse. And that is if nothing goes wrong. Veterinary bills mount quickly. So your bargain youngster is a big investment and must be chosen carefully. Some great breeder friends of mine have wonderful babies for sale. The prices are a BARGAIN and they are willing to house the horses at a minimal rate until they are ready to ride. If you are looking for a future star, drop me an email or comment and I will happily send you their way!

Mercy

What does MERCY mean to you. It reminds me of wrestling as a kid and feeling the pain and suffocation of my cousins and siblings bearing down on my chest.... we would cry MERCY! The rush of air and coolness after the struggle, that is MERCY to me.

Mercy is also the name of a little girl. A small girl with a ragged smile. Her teeth are broken from falling. She falls because she has seizures. There are NO NEUROSURGEONS in her ENTIRE country. She needs help....sigh....she needs relief, she needs MERCY. This little girls condition is getting worse.

My good friend Kim is holding a raffle for an Ipod Touch to raise funds for Mercy's travel to the U.S. for lifesaving surgery. Please visit their website http://berriesnhoney.blogspot.com/2009/10/mighty-to-save.html.

So, if you have wanted an Ipod Touch, are touched by Mercy's story or just feel generous, please go make a donation. I know I will! This little girl has a long stuggle ahead of her and a long journey from Uganda to make to find her own version of MERCY.

They Could Use a little HELP people!

Our local Northwest Therapeutic riding center has a great fundraiser Nov. 7. The event is called Denim and Diamonds and features a great banquet and live and silent auction. They are accepting any donations for the auction and reservations for the banquet. You can check out their website at www.NWTRC.org You can win a pony.... I know a great trainer.....

2009 DENIM TO DIAMONDS AUCTION DINNER

Chincoteague pony for the NWTRC

On Saturday, November 7, the NorthWest Therapeutic Riding Center is sponsoring the 6th annual "Denim to Diamonds" dinner/auction at the Elks Lodge, 710 Samish Way. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Audra Schroeder of the Cascade Radio Group will be the MC for the evening. Pamela Cady is the auction chair.

"We are really excited to have Arawn, a 4 year old Chincoteague pony, to bid on at this year’s fundraiser," said Julia Bozzo, executive director of the NorthWest Therapeutic Riding Program. We are accepting qualified written bids prior to our dinner/auction fundraiser on November 7th as well as during that evening. Reserve bid begins at $2,500.00. Arawn may be previewed (by appointment) at the breeding farm, Canrydd Stables, www.canryddstables.com. For bid information or to preview pony, contact Julia at nwtrc@premier1.net, or call 360-966-2124.

ARAWN is a 2005 black-bay gelding. He has an exceptionally nice temperament and is a fantastic mover. He is handled daily, has been backed, lounges very well and goes nicely over poles. Arawn should mature at 14.2, and has potential to develop into a wonderful performer at any discipline. He’ll make a gentle, quiet companion and willing partner for a child or adult.

Breed: Purebred Chincoteague Pony
Registration: Can be registered with the NCPA
Height: 14.1 hands
Foaled: 4/6/05
Color: Black bay with star and small snip on muzzle
Health: Excellent; all shots and worming current
Training: 5 months professional training
Prospect: Suggesting hunter/jumper

Tickets for the November 7 event are $50.
Please contact Julia Bozzo,
1884 Kelly Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226
360-966-2124
nwtrc@premier1.net.

The Horse Othewise Know as 4....?

If you look at my boy Diego you will notice that he has a big 4 on his right shoulder.....it has been there since birth. I guess it is some sort of birthmark. As he becomes WHITER by the day, the 4 stands out more clearly. It dawned on me today that maybe he is like "the artist formerly known as Prince" and would like to be known as 4.....What do you think? Is it a SIGN?