Dear Friends,
I hope this letter finds you well, close by your loved ones, or soon to be for the Holidays. On Sunday evening I watched the live broadcast of an interfaith vigil service in Newtown, CT to honor the more than two dozen children and women murdered last week at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The President attended and spoke in addition to a group of spiritual leaders of different major religions represented in the US. It came on TV just as I was sitting down to write this note to all of you, preparing to ask you to find it in your hearts to help Health Horizons International ensure access to quality health care for rural communities in the Dominican Republic.
Admittedly, I struggled to connect meaning to my immediate task while reflecting on the horror and sadness of what just occurred in Connecticut. Much of Health Horizons’ Board of Directors, visiting physicians, and other valued supporters live in Connecticut, and some are connected to families whose children attend elementary school in Newtown. This must be such a challenge to make sense of for the people of the community and its surroundings.
Upon reflection, while the event is tragic, in the nation and in the on-looking world, these events can bring out the best in people. Where a community’s sense of identity is strong, people can unite to overcome painful situations together. Where values are shared, regardless of religious, racial, ethnic, or cultural differences, families can support one another. These are social elements that cross cultural boundaries, and are manifesting right now within and around the community of Newtown.
So, I will still ask each of you reading these words to open your heart this season, to look within and also outwardly and reflect on how you can help serve somebody who is suffering. Please consider this, whether it is by supporting the Red Cross or first responders in Newtown, or through another means for individuals or communities in need.
On behalf of everyone at HHI and the communities with whom we partner in the Dominican Republic, here’s wishing you and your family a safe and happy Holiday Season. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Paul