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Friday, April 13, 2007

Helping the hands that help

The weather has been so schizophrenic lately that the plants are just so darn confused now they don't know whether to pop up or stay in. The weather had gotten so warm the last couple of weeks that we even had started digging up the garden again and sowed some seeds. Trees started budding, and the dastardly pollen had started coating everything that doesn't move.

Then this week, the weather turned on us and decided to go back to winter like weather and freezing temperature over night. Confusing for plantlife, but downright confounding for human life.


Like many urban cities, Durham has its share of homeless people and people who live in poverty. One of the great resources for people in need in Durham is the Durham Rescue Mission. They provide help to the needy in various ways. They have a shelter for women and children, they provide meals not only on holidays but also on regular days. They collect and distribute coats for those who need it in the winter, presents on christmas for children who would otherwise have nothing and school supplies at the beginning of the school year so that every child going back to school will have a new backpack and supplies like everyone else. Having my own children, these isues are always close to my heart.

When the weather turned cold recently, all the beds inside the mission became full. They are not one to turn people away, so they allowed several people to keep warm outside by cranking up an outdoor wood furnace. Well, as you will read on their website, the sparks caused a storage facility nearby holding their collected canned goods to go up in flames.

Now, we will help them rebuild their stock. It won't be hard because Durham is still a small town at heart and they tend to take care of their own.

Very few (if any) readers of this blog are from Durham, but where ever you live and there is an organization like this, I hope that you will show them your support. Give back a little and you will receive it back a hundred fold.




7 comments:

exskindiver said...

you are right about confusing.
here i had just put away all the winter clothes. i was so proud of myself for being "that type" of organized mother.
looks like i am going to have to have to pull it back out after all.

Nick Ballesteros said...

Hello JMom. Thank goodness, we only have two seasons to think about here.

I pray the Durham Rescue Mission can recover from the setback...

Omom said...

Hiya sis!
That's really too sad about the fire :-( I hope the locals will pull through and get it all back together.

Crazy weather in L.A., too. I thought my awnings were going to fly off to the land of Oz---been very windy and dry. We haven't had any significant rain in months and my spring flowers have wilted. It went from windy cold to windy hot, ah well, all part of global warming :-(

Anonymous said...

Just like here, the other day as if we have this storm because of heavy rain, thunder and lightning. Then , yesterday it's sandstorm naman ...hay weather....

Francesca said...

TODAY, sa Paris 27° super init like Manila. Or calcutta, India, haha.

meanwhile sa Nice, cool, 20° kaya naka short sleeves kami and opne shoes. Baka next week, balik winter na na naman, waaah!

cathy said...

same here.
we have already enjoyed the cherry blossoms and i have put away the thick comforter and shut off the heater.

All of a sudden, the temp dropped in the middle of the night and I thought I was having my diabetic stroke chills.

The following morning, I saw White Christmas again...in April. mweheheh

JMom said...

hi everyone! crazy crazy weather indeed. We had an all night and all day storm just go through along with strong winds that are still gusting behind. I really thought we'd be having warmer weather by now :(

The good thing is, in our office we collected $400 worth of canned goods and $200 cash for the Rescue Mission.