A celebration of Hope in Haiti

At Central Philadelphia's Quaker Meeting for Worship this Sunday, we heard a number of messages about how the presidential election had given us hope, but also that Barack Obama can't solve the world's problems by himself, and that it's up to the rest of us to put in the hard work to turn our collective vision of hope and prosperity into reality.

Following that theme, for my 26th birthday this year, I've decided to host a celebration of hope for Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere and also one where there are some great opportunities for us to help. We'll hear from Rachael Tanner, who lived in rural Haiti for over a year and visits annually, about a small community-based program called "Heads Together" where a group of Haitians cooperate to provide free schooling to children who otherwise couldn't go to school, and work to alleviate some of the effects of deforestation and erosion that have caused so much harm in Haiti. If you're interested in heading off to Haiti to see some of this wonderful work yourself, or if you're just interested in learning about the most direct ways we can help Haitians on a person-to-person basis, please come to the party. If you can't make it but you're still interested, keep an eye on this blog for updates, or contact julianbrelsford--at--gmail-dot-com .

Since it's a birthday party, don't be surprised if there are some great card games or board games, live music, food and drink, in addition to the chance to hang out and talk with friends who are interested in Haiti and probably know a thing or two about how we can support community work in Haiti too.

Here are the details:
Who? Everyone's welcome!
What? A celebration of hope in Haiti
When? Sunday November 16, 3:30pm
Where? 4718 Windsor Avenue, Philadelphia
Why? Well, mostly because it's fun
How can I contribute?
...If you happen to have a digital camera I can borrow for a while when I go to Haiti in the spring, or you have grantwriting skills, or video editing skills, or French-speaking skills, or fundraising skills, or the desire to contribute financially, then I'm sure we can find a way for you to help! If you have ideas about other ways folks can help, please share those too!

Julian Brelsford