One Small World
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 9:21AM ;)
This horrendous events in Haiti are weighing heavily on my mind. As a mother I cannot imagine the nightmare that the people are enduring right now. Actually, I can imagine, and I do.. it makes my heart race, my head hurt and my spirit crash. How are we (am I) so blessed, and yet others in the world can suffer so harshly? War has justification, (or atleast we can sometimes justify it in our own minds) but seemingly random acts of violence from Mother Nature are so hard to understand. I can't even comprehend the narrow mindedness of those who say it was God's will. God's will to eliminate tens of thousands of children, mothers, fathers?? Good people who struggle everyday?? I don't buy into that.
Since December 27, this wee blog/site has had over 10 thousand visitors from 87 countries. Everyone comes here for the same reason. They have a love for vintage images, old fonts, freebies. They are sitting in front computers, all searching for the similar things. Such a mundane thing to bind us so close together. We don't speak the same language or have the same alphabet. Some are in the throws of winter and others are sitting in 100 degree weather. We don't eat the same foods or wear the same clothes, but we are the same. We love our children, families, music. It doesn't matter what religion we are, we still shed tears when we lose a loved one, and when something so tragic happens in the world, we all lift our heads and hearts and our minds wander to the nightmares occurring elsewhere.
It's such a small thing, please, for all of the lovely images you have received here, (like the ones above) if it is at all possible, please make a donation to the Salvation Army. Every bit counts.. if each visitor from the past few weeks can donate just $1 for all of the lovely images they have grabbed that is $10,000. If everyone could donate $10 that's $100,000 and THAT makes a BIG difference.
You can donate any amount through PayPal at the Salvation Army's website. Remember though, they probably pay a fee or percentage for each donation (ie.. when I get payments PayPal charges me a minimum of 45 cents per transaction.. so if someone paid me $1.00 I'd only get 55 cents)
If you have donated by text message kudos!! It helps, but it won't help for a while. Your cell phone bill has to get printed, mailed, then you have to pay it. Once the cell company receives your payment, then the money gets forwarded to the organization it was earmarked for. Meaning, your $10 text might not see Haiti for 2 months.. or longer. They need it now.
You can also donate through the International Red Cross. The minimum donation they accept over the internet is $15.
For the Salvation Army page to donate to Haiti CLICK HERE.
For the site page for donations in English at the International Red Cross CLICK HERE.
For other languages at the International Red Cross CLICK HERE.
These sites are busy. It took me a few minutes to donate (you don't think I'd ask you donate if I hadn't, would you?) But it went smoothly. Make sure you follow all prompts to complete the transaction.
Thank you.
xoxo~
Abbie
It is amazing how much your heart will lift knowing that you have helped. My grandfather was a sailor in the US Navy. He told my mother how much the Salvation Army meant to him when they'd pull into port. They were always there with cigarettes, food, drinks, socks, whatever the sailors needed. The Salvation Army never charged for any of it. He never forgot that and it meant enough to him to tell his eldest daughter. Although he has been gone for many years,my mother makes a sizeable to donation to them every year. It helps her keep his memory alive. Your donations don't have to have as much meaning for them to make an impression. We go about our lives without much consideration of others. Perhaps you could stay home this weekend and eat in. A trip to movies and McDonald's can run $30-40 for a couple, more for a family. Take what you 'saved' and help someone. It could even be a homeless shelter in your neighborhood. It all adds up.
Reader Comments (14)
Thanks for doing this. We donated this morning, hope it gets there and will do some good.
It seems to much to take in, just to imagine the nightmare of not knowing what happened to your loved ones. We are so smart why can't we predict this and prevent the loss of life.
This weekend, we'll be donating to the Salvaion Army and Doctors Without Borders. DH and I have been long-time supporters of the Salvation Army and donate our time & funds with them. DH fondly remembers their assistance to victims of the big Alaskan earthquake over 40 years ago, which he experienced. The Red Cross was slow in getting supplies in and charged disaster victims for services. The Salvation Army was first on the scene and never charge a cent.
Thank you for this gracious post. And thank you for all the wonderful vintage images that you share here. God bless you.
Thank you so much for posting the link to the Salvation Army. I had been thinking about it, but your links kicked me into gear. E.
Thank you for the donation information! I was headed over to the CNN network page to see if there was info there. I will go now and do this very thing. Blessings to you for your sweet caring spirit.
Sharon
Hi...ty for prompting everyone to do this....we have already done quite a bit through our church and our bank and are helping in our community as well to get things ready to go to Haiti. This is a very real situation and all your points are so valid.I hope EVERYONE can find just a little bit to donate...They NEED our HELP right NOW and will for years to come. Please please find a way to help. Cher
God Bless You. I love your images and appreciate you very much.
Thanks for posting this. I went over to Salvation Army from here and donated in my late Father's name. I thought that was appropriate since the anniversary of his death is tomorrow. and I think he would approve. I donate to Salvation Army because of all they do. Much more of the money donated to them goes to help people, more so than Red Cross and others. So I hope others will consider them first. They helped me many, many years ago and I will always be grateful.
Thank you for the images too. God bless you, Sonya W.
Hi Abbie, I'm a new visitor to your site. First, you've got a great website! Second, thanks for the encouragement to us all to give generously to those who are suffering, not only far away after an extraordinary disaster, but also close to home. I'd like to consider myself not 'narrow minded' (who wouldn't?!) but I do believe that God is sovereign over everything that happens in his creation, whether it is the joy/pain of one or many. I cannot fully comprehend the outworkings of all that happens, but I trust in God's goodness nonetheless.
Thank you for making it easy to do this morning.
Abbie, this is a wonderful post, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this subject. The people of Haiti are certainly on our minds these days and in our prayers, for sure.
Thank you so much for the wonderful music images. Also, for posting the links to the relief organizations.
Smiles~
Marilyn
I think we all share your thoughts. Our donation will go to Doctors without Borders. Four teams from South Africa have left our shores and I think one team has come back. They can do a week at a time. It must be so traumatic. The search and rescue teams need our donations, our prayers and our thanks.
And so I thank you for highlighting this disaster and ways to help and also for sharing your wonderful images which bind all of us different people together.
Take care
Hugs
Denise
oxoxoxox
abigal, when i received your newest free image i thought to myself that i needed to send you an email and thank you for the gifting of images that you do - i don't think i've ever thanked you.
then i went to your website to do just that - to write you a comment thanking you for all of the free images and i saw your post about Haiti.
you feel the same way that i do.
i've made a text donation and now have made a donation through the salvation army.
just wanted to let you know how much you're appreciated and i think that making the salvation army donation says more than just my simple "thank you"...........Jan
Thank you, Abbie, for reminding us how important it is that we, who have so much, remember to donate something to them who have so little - or nothing, like many people in Haiti now. And thank you for sharing your wonderful image collections with us - you give us a good example of generosity.
With all my best wishes,
Eila A
Thanks for doing this, I will make a donation to the Salvation Army. Your site is amazing. Best regards from the UK.