Gena featured on the Six One news tonight on RTE 1. It will be available on the RTE Player for the next 7 days. The link is here. You need to go to about 8:04 minutes into the report to get to the Haiti report. The same report was also on the Nine O'Clock news.
Gena sent an open letter yesterday which I am going to publish here as she has such a lovely way of expressing herself and it gives a real sense of who she is as a person and also the reality of what she is going through over there. I really hope that the volunteers and staff are getting some emotional support and help too.
"One week later and still the wounded are not treated. One week later and so many dead, injured or just disappeared. Amazing how fast the world we live in can change. Kids in the orphanage still sleeping outdoors - except for my kids- they are inside since last week. All are fine and not in any way suffering from the tragedy.
I am in the hospital in Tabarre every day - helping where i can. The husband of the directrice of our special needs school is paralised from the chest down and in danger of dying if he does not get to the states so we are all working on that and hopefully he will get out tomorrow.
Lots of people helping out and everyone doiong what they can. So many people left without arms or legs and my God they are so so strong. Lying in their beds, not complaining at all and they have lost so much. One girl lost a leg when she was rescuing her younger siblings.
I dunno what to say - so many emotions and really no time to deal with them. At night when I lie down, the bed seems to be forever shaking, when I go to the loo it seems to shake and really when i talk to people they say it is the same for them.
My heart aches for Haiti and the Haitian people. My heart aches for those I have loved and lost. Some people blame God or wonder if he is even here. I do not blame God nor do I doubt his existence. My mind is logical. this was a natural disaster and it wreaked so much havoc because haiti was in a mess long before the earthquake.People in tents all over the place- makeshift ones. Are they getting help? I worry for osme cos who will find them where they are, off the beaten path?
How am I? I am ok. I am alive and happy to be alive. i am happy for all the support I know I receive, from people I know and people I do not know. I am sad- as is everyone here. We have lost a lot but we have a lot to work for still. There is no time to grieve just now. Well maybe there is but we choose not to take it cos the wounded need us to be strong if they are to survive.. So we are ok and we are people of faith and we believe we can make things just a little better. For now this is all I can bring out of my mind.Love to all.Gena"
Showing posts with label NPFS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NPFS. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
NPFS Fundraiser Saturday 23rd January
Venue: Garda Club, Harrington Street
Date: Saturday 23rd January
Time: Doors 8:30
Ten Euro Entry
Line up includes : Tony Boylan, Selfless Good Deeds, the Dickheads, the Cool Rockin' Daddies plus special guests
Please come - and bring a friend!
Date: Saturday 23rd January
Time: Doors 8:30
Ten Euro Entry
Line up includes : Tony Boylan, Selfless Good Deeds, the Dickheads, the Cool Rockin' Daddies plus special guests
Please come - and bring a friend!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Message from John Kloos - Father of Erin and Ryan
Below is a message from John Kloos, the father of Erin and Ryan. Please take a moment to read it.
On behalf of my wife Kathryn, my daughter Katie and my daughter Erin, I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Those are working. Keep them up. We have been with Erin since mid-morning on Friday. To be honest, her physical condition was considerably worse than we had expected. However, her attitude and determination were far better than we had hoped. They simply do not make people stronger than this girl. We are confident that she will make a full recovery.
We are dealing with the loss of our son Ryan in the knowledge that, although cut short, his life was one filled with love and accomplishment. There was never a time in our 24 years together as a family of five that we shared anything but positive relationships. There are no regrets. There are only good memories.. Before we can plan any kind of a service to remember Ryan, we need to get Erin healthy and home. Ryan would insist on that, too. We do not know how long this will take. We ask your patience.
We also want to thank you for your offer to help us in any way that you can. We have not and we will not hesitate to call on any one of you, if you can be of assistance. Right now, we have everything we need, including family support. However, the situation in Haiti is dire. The people who worked with Erin, people I have come to know as family, are in desperate need of financial assistance to continue their recovery work.
There is no shortage of ways to donate to the relief efforts in Haiti. However, at my request, NPH has provided us with a way to funnel donations directly to Erin’s co-workers. Yesterday, I asked my sister Karie to get the word out. So, you may have already seen this web site. However, this is my first chance to assure you, directly, that 100% of the funds donated will be put into the hands of NPH in Haiti. This is how you can help. This is what will be meaningful to Ryan’s memory and Erin’s future.
https://secure.imodules.com/s/769/inner.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=890&cid=1918
Thank you.
John Kloos, on behalf of Kathy, Katie and Erin
On behalf of my wife Kathryn, my daughter Katie and my daughter Erin, I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Those are working. Keep them up. We have been with Erin since mid-morning on Friday. To be honest, her physical condition was considerably worse than we had expected. However, her attitude and determination were far better than we had hoped. They simply do not make people stronger than this girl. We are confident that she will make a full recovery.
We are dealing with the loss of our son Ryan in the knowledge that, although cut short, his life was one filled with love and accomplishment. There was never a time in our 24 years together as a family of five that we shared anything but positive relationships. There are no regrets. There are only good memories.. Before we can plan any kind of a service to remember Ryan, we need to get Erin healthy and home. Ryan would insist on that, too. We do not know how long this will take. We ask your patience.
We also want to thank you for your offer to help us in any way that you can. We have not and we will not hesitate to call on any one of you, if you can be of assistance. Right now, we have everything we need, including family support. However, the situation in Haiti is dire. The people who worked with Erin, people I have come to know as family, are in desperate need of financial assistance to continue their recovery work.
There is no shortage of ways to donate to the relief efforts in Haiti. However, at my request, NPH has provided us with a way to funnel donations directly to Erin’s co-workers. Yesterday, I asked my sister Karie to get the word out. So, you may have already seen this web site. However, this is my first chance to assure you, directly, that 100% of the funds donated will be put into the hands of NPH in Haiti. This is how you can help. This is what will be meaningful to Ryan’s memory and Erin’s future.
https://secure.imodules.com/s/769/inner.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=890&cid=1918
Thank you.
John Kloos, on behalf of Kathy, Katie and Erin
Media Links for NPFS
Here are some links to pictures and news reports that show the Hospital and the damage in Petionville.
This is the article featuring Gena and Meave from the Irish Times yesterday.
These pictures are also from yesterday. Thankfully it looks like they are getting some UN assistance now.
MonicaGery's other Picassa albums show clearly the damage to the hospital and the Fr Wasson Centre - the old hospice.
This is Fr Rick on NBC the day after he arrived - Friday.
This is an abc news report from St Damien also with Fr Rick. (You have to watch an ad before you get to it).
On a practical note Oxfam Ireland are urgently looking for volunteers collect funds. These are the Dublin contact details - ania.rutkowska@oxfamireland.org / 1850 30 40 55
Even if you feel that you can't do anything and feel helpless remember 'whatever your faith, religion, beliefs (or none)– please take a moment to pause, pray, meditate for those suffering in Haiti'.
If you have any other links of interest please let me know and I'll post them here.
This is the article featuring Gena and Meave from the Irish Times yesterday.
These pictures are also from yesterday. Thankfully it looks like they are getting some UN assistance now.
MonicaGery's other Picassa albums show clearly the damage to the hospital and the Fr Wasson Centre - the old hospice.
This is Fr Rick on NBC the day after he arrived - Friday.
This is an abc news report from St Damien also with Fr Rick. (You have to watch an ad before you get to it).
On a practical note Oxfam Ireland are urgently looking for volunteers collect funds. These are the Dublin contact details - ania.rutkowska@oxfamireland.org / 1850 30 40 55
Even if you feel that you can't do anything and feel helpless remember 'whatever your faith, religion, beliefs (or none)– please take a moment to pause, pray, meditate for those suffering in Haiti'.
If you have any other links of interest please let me know and I'll post them here.
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