basic living conditions. What did she find on her first trip to Haiti in 1995? “Poverty like I’d never seen; the stress of parents watching their children live with no access to medical care, school or food.” While these problems still persist, Mission Haiti is making a difference. Focusing mainly on orphan ministry and education for all ages, they are also involved in agriculture, employment, and sending medical teams. According to Pam, water is so important; she has seen children with diarrhea and vomiting due to lack of clean water. Often Haitians must walk for miles for clean water, exposing themselves to parasites on the journey. Visit mission-haiti.org to find out how you can contribute to this local, 100% volunteer organization such as sponsoring a child for school, giving them access to a hot meal, medical attention and ultimately an opportunity. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) offers more ways to help. UNICEF’s WASH Program works to improve water supplies and sanitation facilities in schools and communities worldwide. Not only an environmental and health issue, it’s
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also a social issue: many, usually women and girls, are denied education because schools lack private, decent sanitation facilities and they are usually chosen to spend hours per day fetching water(unicef.org/wash/). Also visit Tapproject.org and click on “Donate” to read this message: “help UNICEF put an end to preventable deaths of children due to lack of clean water.” Ask restaurants to get involved during World Water Week 2011, March 20-26, when patrons can donate $1 for tap water that is usually free. As part of the world community, we have a responsibility to know what’s going on and do what we can. Give what you can, and also take care of the resources that we have. Remember air pollution is on the rise even in America and water availability is becoming an issue in western states. Mother Earth needs our help near and far, so give her a reason to say “Thank you.” Thanksgiving is about coming together as a larger community of different cities, villages, traditions and cultures just like that first feast in Plymouth.