THE DREAM

KAFE KISKEYA creates a comfortable space for folks from various parts of the city to meet in & share time together. ~ KISKEYA is the Taino Indian word for Mother of the Earth & is what the Island of Hispaniola, including Haiti & Dominican Republic, was called before Columbus arrived over 500 years ago, a time when all of the inhabitants lived in harmony. ~ THE DREAM is for all of humanity to once again live together peacefully on this Earth. By spending time together, we can make that dream a reality!

30 November 2007

1st Thursday event Dec 6 from 6 to 10pm

Michael Bushnell, publisher of THE NORTEAST NEWS will be the speaker at the premiere of the "1st Thursday" Northeast Literature and Art Series at Kafe Kiskeya, 3226 E. 12th Street in Historic Northeast. Bushnell will speak at 7 P.M., Thursday evening December 6 on "The History of the Northeast News" and on his acclaimed newspaper feature "Postcards from Old Kansas City". Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

Paintings by Erlene Flowers will also be on exhibit that evening. Erlene currently resides in Lee's Summit, but has traveled to Mexico where she studied and toured extensively. She has also traveled through Africa and Europe. She has been fascinated with spirituality and religions of the world. Often, her inspiration comes from exposure to the many religions of the world as she seeks truth in her paintings. She loves watercolor for directness and purity. She appreciates acrylic and the feel that this paint gives to the subjects that she paints.

Ideas for speakers and artists for future 1st Thursday events are being accepted. Other Northeast writers and artists and the general public are invited to attend these special events.

Kafe Kiskeya will be open from 6 to 10 P.M. on all 1st Thursday events. For more info, email kafekiskeya@hotmail.com or call 816.914.5096.

05 November 2007

Update from Connie in LaHoya, Dominican Republic today Nov 5th

Dear friends,
So many of you have written asking how things are going and assuring us of your prayers which we really appreciate.
We had a good day of sunshine yesterday so had hopes of going to begin the cleanup in Bombita but it rained all night. The water in La Hoya is still the same. There is no where for the water to go as the main road acts as a dike holding the water on our side of the street.
Contact was made for the first time to other sugar cane villages further out. It is amazing to understand how those villages could have been 3 1/2 feet under water as well since the land is flat and goes as far as you can see. I just can't understand the amount of water and have become to understand a bit how the people in Noah's time must have felt as they watched the water rise and rise and rise.
Food is the immediate need here. Rice, beans, oil, etc. Our hardest struggle right now is trying to cope with being disaster relief workers while at the same time being victims. I am quite sick of the three outfits I have! I went to church last night truly looking like a refugee! I feel confident that COPA will recover and replace damaged items, but the burdens of the people weigh heavily on my heart.
I know that much help will come from many countries, but I know that the weak will receive little. It will be our goal to watch for those that are getting lost in the rush as they cannot fight for themselves.
I am not sending more pictures because houses under water all look the same! Please keep us in your prayers. My team here consists of 10 people. Four of them are girls 18 years old and this is tough for anyone to deal with, but ones so young, yet they are doing so well and are wonderful helping the children in the centers to cope.
Blessings to you,
Connie

04 November 2007

Can you spare $20 (or more) for Dominican/Haitian relief efforts?

My dear friends,

Recent flooding in my beloved Island of Kiskeya/Hispaniola has wreaked havoc all over the island, especially in areas where I've spent considerable amounts of time over the past 15 years: the southwestern coast of the Dominican Republic near Barahona, and the southeastern area of Haiti near Jacmel. In fact, many of you may know that for several years I have been building a simple concrete block house just to the east of Barahona in the Dominican Republic. Three photos are posted here so that you can see what the storms have done to my village of LaHoya. And a couple of notes from the director of the school where I volunteered 12 years ago follow this message. She took the photos.

Currently, all residents of LaHoya, which include hundrends of friends of mine, are now "living" in a school building several miles away. Estimates indicate that it will be two or three weeks before waters subside enough to being cleanup efforts. In the mean time, these folks must eat good food and drink clean water, and know that the world is here to support them. So here's my question:

Can you spare $20 (or more) for Dominican/Haitian relief efforts?

If you can, please mail a check made out to Kafe Kiskeya to PO Box 633, Liberty, MO 64068. I will personally Western Union the funds to those in charge of feeding and clothing those who are most in need on both sides of the island right now, as well as those responsible for assuming the overwhelming cleanup tasks in the weeks and months ahead.

Please call or email me with any questions.

Sarah Cool
816-914-5096
coolsarahs@hotmail.com
http://www.kafekiskeya.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/kafekiskeya

Sorry Sarah,
But Domingo asked me to send you a picture of your house. It is so sad here. Yes the other was Daisy's house and ramada. Not much time right now. Love, Connie

Dear Friends,
In case you have not seen or heard, we had a very unexpected storm on Sunday night. We made it through that with minimum damages, but you can imagine there were a few roofs taken off. On Monday night the rains started and never stopped. Bombita was evacuated in the early hours of Tuesday and was flooded within one hour. Two days later, La Hoya flooded. This had never happened before in La Hoya. Everyone is astounded.
The waters have subsided in Bombita and we will begin our clean up on Monday. Our losses are not as great as we first thought, thank God though there is total loss in the village.
La Hoya is a different story. We are still under water up to our roofs. (Yes, ours as I live there as well.) The school, the clinic, the volunteer’s houses, the COPA office and every house in the village is under water! The water keeps rising and has no where to go. They tell us we must simply wait. Never been one of my strong suits!
Please keep us in your prayers as we try to cope and to help others cope and then rebuild! I will attach a picture or two to help you see what is happening. Blessings, Connie