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        <title>HELPING OVERSEAS DIRECTORY:  Ways That You Can Make A Difference in the Developing World</title>
        <description><![CDATA[Helping Overseas Directory is a toolbox of resources meant to encourage all those who wish to help with missions to aid impoverished peoples worldwide with food, shelter, medical aid, and literature.]]></description>
        <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod</link>
        <lastBuildDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:00:12 +0100</lastBuildDate>
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            <title>CERT International</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/311/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[CERT International3211 Tabor LoopCrossville, TN  38571Phone:  931-707-9328E-Mail:  cert@certinternational.org (mail:cert@certinternational.org)Web:  www.certinternational.org (http://www.certinternational.org)This Christian group has sent medical teams to over 40 countries..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:51:41 +0100</pubDate>
        </item>
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            <title>Christian Health Service Corps</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/309/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Christian Health Service CorpsU.S. Phone:  210-888-9182U.S. Info:  info@healthservicecorps.org (mailto:info@healthservicecorps.org)Web: www.healthservicecorps.org (http://www.healthservicecorps.org)This Christian organization provides a lot of excellent material for people going on short-term medical mission trips and global placement services for health professionals.  Using PDF, you can download two of their books on the subjects.  They also help with several forms of networking..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:55:34 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Concern Worldwide</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/307/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Concern Worldwide104 East 40th Street; Suite 903New York, NY 10016Phone: 800-59CONCERNFax: 212-557-8004E-mail: joop.koopman@concern.net (mailto:joop.koopman@concern.net)Web: www.concernusa.org (http://www.concernusa.org)Concern is implementing programs in 28 of the world's poorest countries and has a special focus on women and children.  More specific emphasis is on education, emergency response, health (including water and sanitation), HIV/AIDS, and liveliehood..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:17:33 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Two Prayers About Haiti and Some Related Information</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/306/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[For a little over two weeks, the world’s attention has been focused on the devastating earthquake which hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti and the surrounding area.  The pictures and stories are so graphic and heart wrenching. People of good will ask what they can do, but let me come to that in a minute. First let me share a prayer from an anonymous source which is written from the perspective of an American mother and then another e-mail from a friend asking for continued prayers.  Notice how both of them emphasize "thank you".
Prayer number one:
Heavenly Father, I just want to say THANK YOU, because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were.  Because this morning my home was still standing, because this morning I am not crying because my husband, my child, my brother or sister need to pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete, because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water, because this morning I was able to take a shower, because this morning I was not planning a funeral, but most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Haiti.  Lord I cry out to you, the one that makes the impossible, possible, the one who turns darkness into light, I cry out that you give those mothers and fathers strength, that you give them peace that surpasses all understanding, nurses, food, water, and all they need in the blink of an eye.  For all of those who have lost family members, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on!  Protect the children and shield them with your power.  I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!
We here are truly blessed!!!

Let me explain the circumstances of the second prayer. Almost exactly a year ago, I met a Haitian pastor from Port-au-Prince by the name of Rev. Jean Martin Etienne while he was traveling in Michigan. He stayed in my home for about 24 hours, and I shared my Helping Overseas Directory with him. He is especially interested in the BUSES International program which takes used school busses and converts them into mobile medical and dental clinics before shipping them to various places. I included it in the medical supplies section of my directory. He came back here for another two days and nights in November, and my wife and I took him to Louisville to attend the Global Missions Health Conference.  Then he went back home to Haiti. Ever since the earthquake, I wondered how he and his family fared.  Then I got an e-mail from BUSES International saying that his house had been completely destroyed but he and his family escaped death or significant injury. Soon afterward, I got the following e-mail from him.  Notice that he did not say "Why did God allow my house to be destroyed or my possessions to be buried?" (or other words to that effect).  He simply said "fine" on the subject line.  How many of us could do that?  Here are his words:
Dearest friends and supporters
This is to let you know that my family and I are fine. We have survived the earthquake. We simply lost one member in our church. Please, continue praying for us as we are dealing with the aftermath of this great disaster.
God bless you all,
Pastor Martin

Like many of you, I have had a lot of e-mails and other inquiries about how to help with the crisis. Certainly many well-known organizations through one's church or other non-profits are doing a lot of great things. 
I recently went through some of the ones in my Helping Overseas Directory website (www.HelpingOverseasDirectory.org) to see what they are doing.  Many have very compelling videos and slide shows.  I can’t list all of them here.  In addition, there are many excellent groups which are not in my directory.  Having shared my home for a full year with a Haitian man while he was in seminary and going down there twice to visit him (although not in the main earthquake area),  I feel a special closeness to the country.  However, as I explained at beginning of my directory, I decided several years ago that I can be more effective by gathering information that can be used in many areas of the developing world instead of only in one or a few countries.  Anyhow, I am going to suggest that you look at these ideas for starters (but hopefully not stop there).
First, check out Meds and Food for Kids ( http://www.medsandfoodforkids.org ). It was established by a St. Louis, MO pediatrician who spends about half of her time in Haiti. The goal is to provide a special peanut butter-based nutritional formula for small children who are beyond being breast fed but not old enough for solid food.
Second, see Vitamin Angels ( http://www.vitaminangels.org ) to learn about what they are doing to make vitamins available to children in developing countries – with a big emphasis on Haiti right now.
Third, see Kids Against Hunger ( http://www.kidsagainsthunger.org ).  They have a special rice-based package with carefully-chosen nutrients.  The package costs only 23 cents per meal and is ready to be mixed with water.  Recently I was with a group of volunteers who assembled over 10,000 packets for Haiti in less than two hours. 
Fourth, look through the many other organizations I have listed which provide clean water, sanitation, and a wide variety of medical supplies. There are too many to name here.
Finally, if you know about an organization you trust which is specifically working to improve lives in Haiti, see what you can do to support them.  Here is one for which I have a lot of respect (even though I did not list them in my directory for the reason explained above):  Beyond Borders ( http://www.beyondborders.net ).  
Pray for Haiti, and then back up your prayers with whatever financial support you can provide.  If you live close enough to an organization where you can volunteer your time and services, that would be great too.
Bruce.]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:44:04 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Water.org</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/305/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Water.org920 Main Street; Suite 1800Kansas City, MO 64105Phone: 816-877-8400Fax: 816-421-2086E-Mail:  info@water.org (mail to:info@water.org)Web: www.water.org (http://www.water.org)Since 1990, they have helped thousands of places in the developing world obtain safe drinking water and basic sanitation.  They work through carefully-screened local partner organizations in the communities they serve and also use innovative financing methods, such as micro-credit.  Their website notes that "half of all the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease."  Water.org came about as a merger of Water Partners International and H20 Africa in July of 2009..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:48:25 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>International Christian Concern (ICC)</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/304/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[International Christian Concern (ICC)2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941Washington, DC 20006-1846Phone: 301-989-1708Fax: 301-989-1709E-Mail: icc@persecution.org (mailto:icc@persecution.org)Web: www.persecution.org (http://www.persecution.org)They focus on the over 35 countries where Christians face severe discrimination and persecution because of their faith.  ICC helps pastors and churches in those places, works in Washington to raise awareness among lawmakers, and prepares materials for churches in the U.S. to help American Christians learn more about the situations..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:33:57 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Equipping the Saints</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/303/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Equipping the Saints1254 Keezletown RoadWeyers Cave, VA 24486Phone:  540-234-6222Fax: 540-234-6262E-mail:ets.usa@hotmail.com (mailto: ets.usa@hotmail.com)Web:www.etsusa.org (http://www.etsusa.org)This Christian group emphasizes networking by collecting and distributing information and resources of many kinds. Their website has a wealth of it.  They also publish an annual Missionary Resource Directory which describes 222 organizations and individuals..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:11:35 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Kids Against Hunger (KAH)</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/302/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Kids Against Hunger (KAH)5401 Boone Avenue N.New Hope,MN 55428Phone:  763-257-0202Fax:  763-504-2943E-mail: info@kidsagainsthunger.org (mailto:info@kidsagainsthunger.org)Web: www.kidsagainsthunger.org (http://www.kidsagainsthunger.org)Concerned about the over 14,000 children who die daily from hunger, KAH volunteers package the ingredients in meals formulated by food scientists to reverse the starvation process in children.  These meals (costing an average of only 23 cents to produce) have been sent to over 60 developing countries.  Each includes basic vitamins and other nutrients with a rice base and is ready to be mixed with water and cooked.  KAH has 73 packaging centers throughout the U.S. and Canada, and its volunteers packaged over 40,000,000 meals in 2008..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:23:42 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>American Leprosy Missions</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/301/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[American Leprosy Missions1 Alm WayGreenville, SC  29601Phone:  800-543-3135Fax:  864-271-7062E-mail:  www.leprosy.org (http://www.leprosy.org)They are the oldest Christian agency in the U.S. providing care to people around the world with leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and related conditions. Holistic care is provided for scores of projects in approximately 14 countries.  Much more information is on their website..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:47:51 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Midego</title>
            <link>http://www.helpingoverseasdirectory.org/hod/content/view/300/</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Medigo4710 Olley LaneFairfax, VA 22032Phone:  703-978-3331Fax:  703-991-8293E-mail:  info@midego.com (mailto:info@midego.com)Web:  www.midego.com (http://www.midego.com)They focus on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) which especially relate to medical care and show ways of improvement.  This is done through a system of coaching, conferences, providing books and other publications, and the internet..]]></description>
            <author>hbrucecarr@aol.com</author>
            <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:37:18 +0100</pubDate>
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