Candlelight Vigil No. 239, 10/6/10

After reading our sign, a Cape Cod, Massachusetts natural medicine therapist walked up and stated she would offer free services once a week to all returning soldiers and other veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and other emotional problems.

Her name is Maria Iacozza and her clinic offers relaxation techniques and stress management among its services. To learn more, please visit http://www.creativeoptionsclinic.com/. She was in the Los Angeles area this week taking a class when she came upon our vigil.

And what a vigil it was last night, as horn honks permeated the air and waves and three fingered peace signs came repeatedly, at times from two or three cars in a row, in one of the best receptions the vigil has received.

We also got a wonderful surprise. The 64 year old successful Haitian businessman who used to regularly join the vigil returned from Haiti and joined us last night. He was in Haiti when the giant earthquake struck on January 12th and was amazed and grateful to God he survived it.

Since that earthquake, he's been back to his Los Angeles area home only twice, as he has devoted his time in Haiti, helping those in desperate need. "I have a real big home (there), he said. "I made a guest house of it. Americans are coming in to help people to rebuild their houses that went down and to feed them. People are living in tents. We have storms and they blow down the tents.

"I see Sean Penn down there. He is a super, super guy. He is doing so much to help. He is in construction and he brings food and water and he teaches them how to survive on their own. The people there love him. He sleeps with them. He is more Haitian than I am.

"I have other houses I rent. We lodge and feed the groups that come in. I focus on helping the people. My sister (a religious leader) is in charge of over 200 churches." He said that working with her organization, he has helped to build 24 houses and they have been feeding the hungry as well.

"The Haitian government is not doing anything. They are so corrupt. The U.S. government doesn't want to give them any money. They find Christian organizations like ours. Sometimes I get discouraged. Many people still live in tents, get bits of food. It's terrible to see what condition those people are living. (But) if the government doesn't get a share of what you have, they block it."

As for the U.S. wars, "every president promises to get us out. They don't. Why are we sending young guys to die in Iraq and Afghanistan? For what? We could use them to do humanitarian work. There are so many hungry people (they could help)."

This was the nature of last night's vigil, people caring about the well being of others. Whether it was this Haitian man who joined us while he is Los Angeles or from people who called out their support from their cars or as they walked up to the vigil. It made for such a lovely night as for an hour, we could unite in caring for mankind.

Dick