There is extreme hunger, thirst, a desperate need for shelter and personal safety…and again, a huge concern for predators intent on inflicting the horror of human trafficking/modern day slavery on the men,women and children caught in the natural disaster that is the earthquake that Haiti has suffered.  Good things are happening too, but we don’t hear as much about that…but, we need to so that those helping to make a difference see that goodness can come out of tragedy.

         But there are at least two positives that I want to point out, one is a miracle of another survivor who was found 15 days after the earthquake; a 17 year old girl, now that is a miracle!  The other positive is a pat on the back for those that I saw on a news report who have had next to nothing to eat & drink; and yet, some of those same people have been sharing with their neighbors the last of their valuable items of food and drink.  It reminded me of the old story, Stone Soup…Haiti is creating stone soup.

     For those of you who don’t remember the story of  Stone Soup; it is a story of a travelor who wanders into a village and teaches a lesson about working together and having compassion.  The travelor is hungry and has nothing to eat so he asks a woman for some food.  She denies him because she says she has nothing to give him.  The travelor has a large pot but nothing to put into it.  However, he asks the woman if he can use her fire for cooking and he goes to the well to get water for the pot he carries on his shoulder. 

        Curious, the woman asks him what he is going to cook.  He tells her stone soup.  He looks around the yard and finds a nice smooth rock.  He cleans it off and drops it into the pot of water that is heating up on the fire.  After some time, he tastes it and the woman asks him, how does it taste.  He says well, it is not done yet.  Then he mentions that normally he would add some carrots but, he doesn’t have any.  The woman’s young son says that they have a few carrots in the side garden.  The mother gives her ok to go get them and add them to the pot if he will share with her family some of his stone soup; he agrees and the child gathers the carrots to add to the pot.

       It cooks for a while, and he tastes the soup…mentions that it needs some herbs.  Of course by this time, the children are playing off to the side of the fire; and, one of the boys friends says that his mother has some wild onions growing by her picket fence and runs off to get them.  When he comes back he brings his sister who has two potatoes that she dug up just that afternoon; and his mother follows with a handful of peas that she was cleaning for supper.  Together they throw the wild onions and the chopped up potatoes into the pot as well as the peas that the woman had.  The soup is starting to smell good.  No one had ever heard of stone soup before and it wasn’t long before people were talking about it and coming to watch in case they may learn to make it for themselves.

        The first village woman had gone to her friends house to tell of the stranger and his stone soup.  Her friend says she must see this to learn how to make it as times are hard.  She tells her friend that all she has to feed her family is one dead chicken that she was plucking when her friend came to tell her of the soup.  She takes the chicken with her as she doesn’t want to lay it down on the dirty outdoor table. 

        When the women arrive the soup is sending up a lovely smell and people are starting to gather around the pot.  There were young and old alike giving their advice on what to add and how it would taste.  The pot was very large and so the woman with the chicken asks if she adds the chicken to the pot whether she could bring her family over to share the soup.  Of course says the travelor…the chicken would be a wonderful addition to the soup.  Excitement began to touch those around the fire…they started to think about what they had that could be added, for a small sample of the stone soup.

        A husband and wife happened along in their wagon coming home from the mill.  They had sacks of grain, and inside one of those sacks was some barley they were willing to share with the travelor and his pot for a portion for themselves.  Into the pot went a couple of cups of barley.   The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves about how good the stone soup would taste when it was done.

       Another added some corn, a grandmother had some rice she was willing to share, and a teenager had some beans that he had been shelling for his mother…these they added to the pot.  The travelor said it was nearly done…did anyone else have anything to share…and out of nowhere a rutabaga appeared, along with a few sticks of celery, some lentils, and a head of garlic, some green beans and a fat sausage or two.

       It wasn’t long before the stranger said it was nearly done and did anyone have some bowls to serve it with; the people began to scurry home and came back with not only bowls and spoons but hungry family members who were thankful to have a meal;  when earlier, they had no idea how they were going to find something to eat when alas, they only had an item or two to prepare.  They were all grateful that the travelor had taught them how to make Stone Soup by sharing their blessings with one another.

        This is the story of Haiti…i read a news item this week of neighbors who were sharing the last little bits they had with one another.  One woman said, today I have this to share with my neighbors and friends…tomorrow they will share with me what they have.  In this way we all shall have something to eat and drink.

        In a time when most would understand that desperation has the tendency to bring out the worst in people (and for some it does); I want to celebrate those who in their desperation are finding ways to help one another.  Whether they are sharing their food or water, trying to protect the people from human trafficking, looking for survivors, helping those grieving…or tending to the sick and dying in make shift hospitals…i want to say thank you for finding human compassion inside of yourselves and using it to help a nation trying to survive.  God bless!

           We usually do something different with our kids and have a fall harvest celebration.  If the weather is decent we will have a campfire and maybe we do something like put up a pinata with a minimum of candy to tickle their fancy; but, not enough to be obscene about how much candy they end up consuming.   It is a good idea to have some games planned and invite their friends.  Be prepared for loud and boisterous fun…but that is ok…they are supposed to be having a good time.

          My  main concern about this time of year  is safety and spiritual well-being.  Some Halloween revelers take things to a level glorifying evil and gore.    I don’t like all of the gore, the frightening costumes, the evil that seems to be celebrated by some.  Most of all, i don’t like how vulnerable the kids are to violence, to kidnapping, or to many of the other dangers that go along with the so called “holiday”.   I think it is a good time to remind parents to keep your kids close…minimize the danger that they are exposed to. 

       When it comes to costumes…make sure that they have some kind of reflective quality so that they can be seen in the low lighting conditions.  Have them carry a lighting device or a glow stick.  Go over reminders of safe street crossings and appropriate approaches to people’s homes and property.  There are some people who do not watch out for little ones crossing streets and sidewalks.  Then there are those who don’t appreciate kids and teens prancing across their lawns “begging for candy”. 

        Every year we hear of parties that have gone wrong and someone is killed or injured in a fight or in a case of over-reaction to a misunderstanding.  We hear about kids who go about doing destructive pranks and then their are the occasional people with emotional/anger/substance abuse issues who react violently.  We hear about teens horsing around and accidents happening where another in the crowd is injured or killed because things get out of control.  There are incidents of bullying or gang activity.  There are rapes…and kidnappings; children become lost or missing in communities; they are at risk for predators at this time of year especially when it is acceptable to be walking the streets with masks on and in disquise.  Large cities often have issues with “devil’s night” fires and looting. These things can be minimized if parents take steps to insure that they know where their kids are and what they are doing…as well as who they are with.

         It is wise to go out with your children if you are going to allow them to go trick or treating.   Don’t let them out of your site.  You really don’t know who to trust and who your child/teen will be meeting up with.  It seems weekly that there are reports of missing and or exploited children…noone wants their child to be one of them.  We have heard too any news stories recently about children who have been violated or murdered to just let them go off and wish them a good time.  Parenting responsibilities don’t end just because your kids may be able to go off with a crowd.  

        Even teens…God bless them can get caught up in situations that either are not in their best interest or that can endanger them.   Your teens probably won’t verbalize their appreciation if you take a protective stance about their activities…however, no one ever promised that parenting would win you any popularity contest, now did they?   Create an alternative environment for them to get together with their friends; but, still be supervised and protected.   Law enforcement officers will appreciate the help because they can’t be everywhere at once. 

       Someone out there knows what happened to me…but, they are not talking.  Please, it may have been an accident…or, I could have been stolen from my loved ones and murdered.  I deserve to have my name known.  Someone, somewhere knows who I am.  Won’t you please ask questions, look for others who are my age and might look like me; make sure that they are well &  with their family?  My family might be looking for me…or, maybe my family is hiding the fact that I am missing.  I just don’t know; but, someone knows.  http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US     

          A person passed by me at the park where I was buried and saw my shoe sticking out.   I am sorry that you had to see me like that.  Thank you though for telling the police about me; maybe now, I can find my way home.    The investigators are trying to help me by finding out answers.  This is what we know, my shoes were black & grey with lime green on them.  Have you seen them…did you buy them for me?  Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, Daddy,  Neighbor, Friend, Teacher, Aunt or Uncle…didn’t you see my shoes, when I got them?  

       My clothes were black pants with a red stripe, the shirt had a monster truck on it; my clothes were a size 3T.  Do you think that you might recognize me by my clothes?  I have short dark hair and brown eyes; and, I may be of Latino or American Indian heritage.   I belong to someone…do you know anyone who is missing their child?   Someone out there needs to know where I am… do I sound like someone you may know?   http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US       

          It is ok to ask questions if it helps me find out where I belong.  I am a missing child, I had a life somewhere.    My life is over now before it even really began.   I don’t have a voice to demand answers…but, it’s not fair to be left like this.   I am a child of God and deserve some respect.   Someone disrepected me and put me in the sand…they didn’t even tell anyone that I existed or that I passed away.   They left me here like I didn’t matter to someone.   No one deserves to be treated like this.    

         The nice people from here are raising money to properly bury me and they are going to put up a placque here at the park.  They are calling me Baby Angel or Baby Justice.   It is nice that they are adopting me…because, I don’t have a way to let them know who I am.  Please help!   Surely someone knows who I am?  http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US

Possible update:  http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/21/nm.buried.boy/index.html  and another more recent update:  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520985,00.html?test=latestnews