I didn’t plan to write several posts on the theme of family, but themes sometimes take on a life of their own. This morning, I was glued to a Today Show segment produced by Max Paul, who set out on a rescue mission to bring his Aunt Andree back to the United States. Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, has been slammed by four hurricaines in the past several months – Gustav, Fay, Hanna, Ike – leveling villages with mud, contaminated water, and leaving hundreds dead or suffering from disease and illness. Many Haitians had nothing to begin with; now they have even less.

Max’s Aunt Andree is an inspiration. This was a woman who didn’t want to be rescued because she felt she had a mission to fulfill herself. If only we had more Aunt Andrees in the world. There are probably plenty. We don’t notice the hands that hold up the sky.

How can we help?
Yele Haiti Foundation (Wyclef Jean’s group): www.yelehaiti.org
Doctors Without Borders: www.doctorswithoutborders.org