I'm home from church this morning, sitting with my little girl, who has a fever...so today I'm very thankful for children's Tylenol - I know it will help to bring down her fever, make her feel better, and give me some peace of mind.
This really has me thinking about the moms of Cotes de Fer...how must they feel when their children are sick and they have no medicine to give them, no blankets to wrap them in, nothing to do but hope & pray they recover?
That is another thing that is spurring on the TENTS FOR HAITI Project. All of us on the committee are parents, most of us moms, and we want for the moms of Cotes de Fer what we have- the ability to take care of our kids the way we need to.
These children are the future of Haiti and how we respond to the earthquake will set the precedence for how that country is, going forward. We, here in our community, can make a real difference in the lives of the people of Cotes de Fer, who, just by their nature, will "pay it forward" when they are able.
This is not a community of beggars or folks waiting for hand-outs- they are a hard-working, strong, proud people who have had their lives turned upside down through no doing of their own. All they need is a hand up, and as soon as they are back on their feet, they will begin to help others and create change in their area of influence, which will spread outward.
Won't you lend them the hand they so desperately need right now? Rainy season is upon them and with that comes the threat of sickness...we need to keep gathering much needed hygiene items and whatever medical supplies we can get: betadine, acetominophen, hydrogen peroxide, triple anti-biotic ointment, etc., along with blankets & sheets and tarps.
When you are deciding if you can help, look at your child(ren) and then put yourself into the shoes of the people of Cotes de Fer. Wouldn't you pray for someone to see your need and do something about it? I know I would!

A Word from Jim Frankenfield

Let me introduce myself, my name is Jim Frankenfield, and I live in Souderton, PA. On January 12, 2010, I had the privilege of being in Haiti, along with 26 of my very close friends. We were about 55 miles from the earthquakes epicenter and about 12 miles from the town of Cotes de Fer, Haiti. Within 48 hours of the quake, a group of us went to the town of Cotes de Fer, where we found the entire town to either be fallen completely to the ground or damaged to the point that the buildings will have to be knocked down. We then went to the mountains on the east and west sides of Cotes De Fer where we found the 3,500 residents living in makeshift shelters. The damage to this town and the friendly faces of 3,500 residents who fled to the mountain for safety has impacted all of us to a degree that I am sure will most probably change our lifestyles forever. I was the one who took the picture which has become the profile picture for this project. If you look real closely under the blanket there is a 3- or 4-week old baby sleeping under his or her "blue house". This baby, unknown to him or her, has been a inspiration to me since I snapped this picture on January 14, 2010.
Now, more than ever, we need your help. With the help and diligence of a multitude of people, this "TENTS FOR HAITI Project" has been undertaken. Because of their work and perseverance, the 1st trailer load of shelter and food is almost ready to ship. On the trailer will be over 400 tents, 8,000 pounds of rice, 50 gallons of vegetable oil, 40 cases of dried milk, 5 gallon buckets, towels and blankets along with other life-sustaining medical supplies and food. We are still in need of blankets, hygiene supplies and other personal articles.
All logistical arrangements have been made for the shippment of the trailer to Haiti and it's transport to Cote De Fer, Haiti along with the safe and fair distribution of the trailer contents when it arrives in Cotes De Fer. All of this is certainly not without a financial burden.
The approximate cost for the shipment alone of this trailer, from Souderton, Pennsylvania to Cotes de Fer, Haiti will fall near the $7,000.00 mark. This figure does not include the contents of the trailer, much of which was purchased with your donated dollars.
A second trailer will be filled with other items after this first trailer is emptied in Cote De Fer and the people of that community will have tents for shelter and the rice for food.
I humbly ask you for your continued support in this cause, for your continued humanatarian efforts to help someone, someone whom you may never even meet while on this earth. I ask you to help the same little baby in the picture, the same little baby whose image I see when I close my eyes every night since January 14, 2010, the day when I took this picture.
All of the folks working on the TENTS FOR HAITI Project are people much like yourself. No one is being paid or is receiving any financial reward or payment of any kind for their efforts and I sincerely thank each and everyone of them for their untiring work.
I kindly and humbly ask that you continue to support this effort as we all go forward in this quest of relief for our Haitian friends. God bless you all.

One Person Alone Cannot Rebuild a Village, But As A Community Together, We Can.

Dear Members of the Community,

On January 9, 2010, a group of 27 people from our community traveled to Haiti to help with organizations called Water for Life and Tree of Life. Both of these organizations have been helping the people of Haiti for many years, drilling wells for fresh drinking water and providing medical services to small villages southwest of Port Au Prince. The individuals from our community who were there, as young as 14 years old, were able to offer first-hand assistance to the people of Cotes de Fer soon after the earthquake hit. The people of this village had fled to the top of a mountain, fearing a tsunami, and set up a makeshift village using only sheets, blankets and sticks. The team from our community was able to provide these people with food and some medical care. The people of the village of Cotes de Fer are still residing at the top of the mountain since none of the buildings in their village are left standing, or are structurally sound enough for them to return. Before the earthquake hit, the village of Cotes de Fer was much like our community with schools, houses, businesses and people helping one another. We would like to help them to begin rebuilding their community with the help from ours. Below is a list of items that we are collecting to ship down to Haiti to help these people.

• Tents - 4 person or larger, new or gently used, in good condition with all parts
• Tarps – 8’ x 10’ or larger (these will be used to put over the tents to provide protection)
• 5-Gallon Buckets – Must be clean, with or without lids, for the villagers to carry and store water
• Hygiene Items
o Large Bars Bath Soap (in wrapping)
o Plastic Bottles Shampoo (13-24oz, place in resealable bag)
o Squeeze Tubes Toothpaste (Minimum 6oz, leave in box)
o Adult-Size Toothbrushes (Leave in Packaging)
o New Bath Towels (Medium Weight, dark colors)
o Wide-Tooth combs (6-8 inches)
o Fingernail Clippers
o Boxes of Adhesive Bandages (Minimum 40, assorted sizes)
o Packages of Sanitary Pads (18-24 thin, maxi)
o Blankets/Flat Sheets (Any size, in new/like new condition – it gets very cold in the early morning hours)
• Money
o Checks in any amount made payable to Souderton Mennonite Church, with “Haiti Relief” as the memo
Mailed to: Souderton Mennonite Church, 105 W Chestnut St., Souderton PA 18964

Items can be dropped off at the West Street Community Center at Souderton Mennonite Church during the following times:

Saturdays: 9-11 am
Mondays: 7-9 pm
Tuesdays: 7-9 pm
Thursdays: 7-9 pm

We appreciate anything that you are willing to provide for this cause. Each and every item and dollar donated will go very far to help the people in the Haitian community of Cotes de Fer. For further information or to contact us become a fan of Tents for Haiti Project on Facebook or email us at tentsforhaiti@hotmail.com

Thank You,

“TENTS FOR HAITI Project” Committee Members