VISITORS!

It's been a busy time here. My sister was here with Holly and Morgan and just left. Now another team is coming to help out starting Tuesday. I'll post photos of Tanya's group next. Things have been busy here and they helped out a lot. Below is a newspaper article about Marlene's group that will be arriving here on Tuesday.

HEADING INTO THE UNKNOWN
(Tillsonburg News) - By Jeff Tribe

The Angels For Haiti are carrying heartfelt handmade contributions from all over the world to children in a particularly disadvantaged part of the world.

" There's tons of kids in need, tons," said Marlene Magashazi, one of Woodingford Lodge's Angels For Haiti on the verge of a Monday departure south.

Magashazi, her daughter Teresa, Elizabeth Pais, Teresa Cisek and Angela Sutherland are scheduled to arrive in Port Au Prince, Haiti early next week in support of the Coram Deo mission under the direction of Karen Bultje. The quintet will be figuratively taking a baton passed from Bultje's sister Tanya, who also works at Woodingford. Tanya led a week-and-a-half mission which began last week, and was scheduled to return home prior to the second's depature.

The first mission's focus was handing out baby packages including clothes, vitamins and medicine in a supportive effort to encourage young mothers in particular to retain babies. Apart from crushing poverty, the fact a number of the babies are the result of sexual assault is a further complicating factor.

" That's more or less what we're going to do too, as well as whatever else needs to be done," Marlene Magashazi said.

Apart from the practical necessities, Magashazi will also be carrying a large bag of an estimated 150 to 200 stuffed toys. They were collected from knitting clubs around the world after former Woodingford nurse Patricia Jordan created a Facebook page with an open invitation to knitting clubs.

" They're from all over the world," Magashazi said. " They are so soft and cuddly, the kids are going to love them."

Some have names knitted right onto them, others will be named by the recipients, including Magashazi's personal favourite, whose base is a sock with a British flag on it.

" I think it's a monkey," she said. " It is so cool."

The situation on the ground in Haiti would be a ways from 'cool' at the moment, given ongoing challenges with cholera, the recent, and still hotly contested, election, not to mention the arrival of a former dictator or two.

" We're not sure what we're walking into," Magashazi said, allowing the Angels may be delayed for an indeterminate time at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. " We're very determined.

" Karen ( Bultje) says we're veterans, we know what to do, and she'll keep us safe too."

Their families are concerned, but supportive says Magashazi, who has faith things will work out.

" I'm just really anxious to get packed and get going," she said. " It is in our hearts, it's like a second home for all of us, we feel we have to go and help these people and support Karen."