The Action of Compassion

My fear in organizing friends and family to make health kits for Haiti was that some would do it out of guilt, or a sense of obligation. And I did have at least one friend admit that guilt is what drove her to get her kids in the car, haul them to Wal-Mart and bring the things for the health kits over to my house on a super cold winter night. I'm glad she was honest with me because I have thought about that a lot. I take no offense whatsoever, and totally agree with her! Guilt is what drives us to do many things. I might feel the exact same way if I were in her shoes.

Then I think about the words of another friend who also gave health kits for Haiti yesterday. Her wise words are ringing in my ears: "We SHOULD feel obligated to help." I guess that hits at the heart of where I'm coming at with all of this. It's not just that I want to help. It's that I NEED to help. I look around and see the abundance that I have...I see the faces of the Haitians who had nothing to begin with and now have even less. And I DO feel guilt. I DO feel obligated. But is that such a bad thing???

I think we all know the answer to that one. Whatever drives us to act can't be a bad thing. Action is the root of compassion, IMHO.

But I digress.....

The health kits for Haiti project was a huge success! We collected over 30 health kits and also a large monetary donation that will be sent to the LWR warehouse in St. Paul very soon. From there the kits will most likely head straight to Haiti. The first health kits shipment (along with layette kits, quilts, etc...) arrived in Haiti on Monday. But so much more is needed! I know that these kits will go to people who desperately need them.

Big hugs to my awesome friends and family for acting on their compassion for the Haitian people. No small act of kindness is ever wasted!!!

I hope that we will not become complacent as times goes on. I don't want to forget, I don't want my support for these people to wain. They will need our help for a long, long time to come.