A couple weeks after I got here, I came down with a stomach bug and had to stay in bed for two days. This meant that my husband had to to handle drop offs and pick ups, as well as meals – which meant going down to the closest restaurant for take-out. Well, once I was better and out and about, the first Venezuelan I saw who knew about my illness said “se siente usted mejor” to which I responded “si, gracias” and then he looked to the sky and said “gracias a dios”. Now I know this may sound corny, but it felt genuine. And let me tell you, I got the same reaction from everyone else who knew; including the waiter at the restaurant where my husband got the take-out

I guess it should have been no surprise when their concern multiplied for a situation that was a million times worse. Well, their kindness didn’t stop with the impromptu prayers. It was followed by an abundance of offers for help and donation. Those who couldn’t offer cash offered food. I helped out at the Haitian Embassy for a day and was astonished at the donations – from parents who recently bought clothes for their children and wanted to send them to Haiti – to a small business-owner who wanted to send her stock of cheese. I know that the world has been generously supporting the relief efforts, but I continue to feel humbled by the way Venezuelans seem to have taken the tragedy of the people in Haiti to heart.

This picture is of the donations collected at my kids’ school over the course of a couple of days. Some of the classes are also holding bake sales and next week they are putting on a play from which all the proceeds will go to the Haitian relief efforts. As if they haven’t done so much already.

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