Like this:

I have really enjoyed my visit to Canton to see some dear friends and family in GA.  What a blessing it has been to catch up with Zach’s grandmas and parents, share my dad’s birthday with him, go shopping and make pies with my mom, see my brother and sister and their respective significant others, and just be at home.  It has been so restful.

But it’s funny, because home tends to be in places you don’t expect it to be.  Our time in Chile has been wonderful in so many ways, but also difficult.  I wouldn’t have called it home, and even feel a little funny telling people it’s where I live.  It doesn’t seem quit real most of the time.  We are strangers to a lot of the customs and ways of life.  All the way from paychecks to grocery stores, and it has sometimes made us feel out of place.  Before my trip to the US, I was thinking, “I need an ‘American break’.”  Meaning, I need to feel at home somewhere for awhile, which when I landed in the familiar Atlanta airport, I did feel right at home.  But I also couldn’t have felt farther away from home the morning of February 27th when I woke up in the bedroom I’ve slept in sense I was 10.   Knowing Zach had just experienced one of the strongest earthquakes on record set an adrenaline loose in me that I can’t even describe.  Seeing the pictures of the city and country that has so graciously hosted us these past seven months broke my heart.  All I wanted to do was be in Chile to help out.   I was in tears before I even knew they were flowing.  I had no idea how much Chile had become home to me.  Facebook blew up with comments from friends and family both in Chile and in the States.  How had we been blessed  with so many connections and friends in Chile in these short seven months?  I spent the entire day trying to be in touch with Chile as much as possible.  It was strange to feel lonely and far away in the place I grew up.   I never expected these feelings to be apart of my trip.  Thankfully I have amazing family who took on some of the feelings I was having so I didn’t feel like I was carrying my sadness alone.

I learned that even though I needed an ‘American Break,’ part of my heart is still in Chile, and being in Chile is a rare opportunity handcrafted by God for us.  I’m happy to be back, eager to help, and looking forward to the months ahead.  I’m soaking up all the home in Chile I can.

If you are looking for a way to help out with the recovery in Chile, here is some useful information originally put together by my friend Joanna.  This country has truly become special to Zach and I, and anything you can do to help will make a huge difference to Chile and it’s recovery.

Cruz Roja Chilena/Chilean Red Cross

Many of my friends have publicised the activities of the Red Cross: here is a link to their website: http://www.cruzroja.cl/. They are receiving donations of clothing, blankets, nappies, cleaning supplies and non perishable food at Seminario 973, close to Metro Irrarazabal. They are also looking for financial aid.

• From within Chile, the bank account details are: Banco Estado, Cuenta Corriente 362883, Rut. 70512100-1
• From the United States, Citibank, Account Number 9941973331, ABA021000089
• From the United Kingdom, via the website of the British Red Cross Chile Earthquake Appeal: http://www.redcross.org.uk/donatesection.asp?id=103226

Un Techo Para Chile
Un Techo Para Chile (A roof for Chile) has worked for a number of years with Chile’s poorest communities, sending volunteers (mostly university students) around the country to construct adequate housing. Here’s a link to their website:http://www.untechoparachile.cl/, which has information on how to donate within Chile, and information on accounts in the US and in Spain.

Some websites with more information:
For people in the United States, CNN has information on how to text and donate:http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/?hpt=T1
Google has set up a page which, in addition to providing information on donations, also has a Person Finder service:
http://www.google.com/relief/chileearthquake/

Fuerza Chile!

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