I keep thinking of her. I will never know her name.
Days ago we shared the same life.
Wife to one. Mother to five.
She made breakfast, wiped tears away, disciplined when needed.
She laughed with her family, she rocked babies and sang songs of love in little ears.
She was me.
Today she mourns for her five children. Her husband unable to console her grief.
Loss so debilitating and incomprehensible.
She mourns a loss that I pray I am never able to fathom.
I am wrecked for her from the warm, safe cocoon of my home.
I have no answers.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
-Matthew 25:35-40
I did what everyone did and will continue to do.
I gave money that I spend frivolously on lattes and luxuries.
It is not enough.
It will never be enough for her.
I will never forget her.
Never stop praying for her.
Praying for comfort.
For healing.
We are the same woman, born in different situations.
Children of God.
I will never forget her.
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
so true. the stories are so haunting. they could all be one of of us.
melissa stover´s last blog ..Saturday
Beautiful, heart-wrenching post. I can get lost thinking about these things. My mom always taught me that when someone pops up in our mind, we are supposed to pray for them. I will pray for her, too, and you’ve just reminded everyone who reads this to do so as well.
Angela @Homegrown Mom´s last blog ..Turns Out I Don’t Need to Worry So Much
Tears…so beautiful, so touching & yet so haunting. Thank you!
So beautifully said, Alli. It is amazing how close we can feel to others in their time of need no matter how far away they are.
Catherine @ Evolving Mommy´s last blog ..5 little Things I Love About Lazy Sundays
It’s been heartbreaking… reminds me of what my own parents went through during Vietnam War with desperate needs: water, food and 3 sick kids w/asthma. There are so many amazing organizations on the grounds in Haiti working around the clock…sometimes I wish I was one of them to be there, to lend a hand, a heart, a shoulder, a hug and prayer. Dad always said, “there are always others with greater needs than ours..do what we can, with what we have.”
@duongsheahan
duongsheahan´s last blog ..Help For Haiti & The Orphans
Duong, Your parents are rockstars. As I learn about the stories of survival I am amazed at the strength and the bravery of so many. Rockstars.
..and each of so often numb to those around us who are wounded, hurting, needing…..until something devestational rocks our world and opens our eyes…my prayer each day is that God would help me to see…to really see…how to be His hands, His arms, His heart to those in front of us near and far…
much love,
s
Sweetie Berry´s last blog ..Would Your Business Life Be Easier With A Staff?
What a beautiful, poetic post. So well said, that what WE do will never be enough, but by Doing the things that we CAN do to help others in need, we know that the Lord will do his part as well. Thank you for this very touching post.
So many of us feel exactly the same way. This is the wake up call the world needed. Truly, the tragedy in Haiti happened long before this earthquake. As was pointed out to me yesterday – before the earthquake, 47% of the people in Haiti didn’t have fresh running water. Almost half the population!! And here we are – in the South at least, wasting SO much water through our irrigation systems just so our grass can look green??! What a sin!
As much as all of this hurts to watch now, and as much as we try to placate our guilt by giving a little now – Haiti needs the whole world to keep giving, prayer and resources, for a LONG, long time.
Annie´s last blog ..Puncture Day!
Alli,
This is beautiful. Thank you for helping each of us remember the individuals, the ‘us’, in this tragedy.
Amo´s last blog ..The Stronger Sex
Very touching perspective. Thank you for sharing.
Catherine B´s last blog ..“Shoo In” Reading
I have not even written a post about it, yet, because it is really haunting me and I don’t know how I can do the severity of the situation even the tiniest bit of justice. Love your thoughts, post and heart. Thank you.
oh alli! such a moving post. my heart breaks for the moms in haiti who are grieving the loss of their children. what a complete nightmare. and i feel so incredibly helpless sitting here in my comfortable living room…
Monica (peapodsquadmom)´s last blog ..Unilazy…Where Have you Been all my Life?
It breaks my heart. I can’t begin to imagine what she is feeling, and I am so grateful that I don’t have to.
Becca – Our Crazy Boys´s last blog ..What’s mine is yours…
So true. Praying so hard.
yet another reminder of how much we need to pray, how very much we are all joined together, like stitches in a blanket. We cry, we pray, we give. It seems so little, in a time of such great need. I feel so helpless to give the consolation, the hope, the bare necessities these resilient people need right now. But I continue to pray, to give and to listen, I know I’m being called…this video echoed the call again..
deb@birdonawire´s last blog ..Add TwitterComment Link And A Little Magic
Part of me cries.
Part of me wants to just somehow.go. there.
To offer what pitiful help I can.
Part of me is so angry at the unfairness.
I end up just surrendering everything I have UP–prayers, finances, and soul.
It isn’t enough but its all I have.
Thank you Alli for the honesty. Your comment “We are the same woman, born in different situations. Children of God.” could not be more true. No matter the circumstances each and every person matters to Him and deserves our support and prayers in any way we can provide them. As a mother who lost a son I can only imagine what this mother is experiencing with the loss of 5 children. She loved them as we love our own children and this type of loss we would wish on anyone. Knowing what I do personally and what so many close to me have experienced this past holiday (one who’s son she lost on Christmas eve and two others who went through their first Christmas without their children) this pain never subsides. The reporter also gave a good reminder as he stated that “we’re all going to get bored with it because we always do and then they they all will be truly be alone and then they will truly need us”…. Let’s not soon forget, stop giving, or stop praying. Thank you for posting.
Oh honey. No words….
Sending you love.
Heartbreakingly, unfortunately – this is the best post you’ve ever done. I’m crying. I will think of her and pray for her too. It’s so utterly unfathomable. Devastating and heartwrenching.
What a moving post! thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and prayers with my people.
AnaRC´s last blog ..Helping Haiti
Thank you, Ana
Beautiful, Alli.
xoxo
I know how you feel…
Helpless.
Helpless, angry, heartbroken, empty and humbled. So very humbled.
A very moving post. I am glad you wrote what you did. It is important to remember daily and help in any way we can. Thank you for your post.
Kelly B´s last blog ..NoiseTrade Matthew Perryman Jones
Thank you for sharing this. We all need to be reminded again and again of just how horrific a tragedy this was and is. Peace.
Molly´s last blog ..Haitian Bracelet Giveaway
You have written a very touching post here Alli. That whole situation over there is just tragic. Horrific. And we will never stop praying for them.
Jeanne ~ bermudabluez´s last blog ..Cold….NOT
I have backed off from watching any videos or seeing pics of Haiti in the past week. I’m just broken by it. Your post really put a finger on what I’ve been feeling.
I have friends who were there, nearly buried alive in their five-story apartment building. They got out, miraculously. They got home to the U.S. on the third day. Their son remains there, helping with the relief effort. My friend writes to heal, and she sends emails every few days, detailing their experience, processing it. My friend was injured physically, but especially mentally. She hasn’t even begun to talk about all the people that they knew who died. I’m sure the thought is too overwhelming.
Thanks for this post, Alli.
Wow. That’s about all I can say.
Kat @ InspiredToAction.com´s last blog ..The Value of Faithfulness
We’re all linked…us Mothers.
Nell
Beautiful story…..so glad that I stopped by tonight
Thank-you so much for sharing this in such a beautiful way. And for reminding us all to pray.
this post was beautiful. we don’t know how lucky we are. thank you for being aware
amber´s last blog ..If I had a million dollars….
My heart feels so heavy for her.. beautiful post and a reminder that there isn’t just pain in Haiti but individual heartbreaking stories that each deserve prayer.