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By Isabelle Moore Round dark tables

Hanging flower lights

Pink tile for the floor

I order from the lady

Neapolitan please

The counter looks like

A deli counter filled

With ice cream of all colors

Green, brown, white,

Cream, orange, pink

A sea of ice cream
Where rainbows hide
Toppings on the edge

Sprinkles, chocolate chips,

Nuts and maple syrup

She uses the ice cream scoop

Making cold deep cuts

Into the soft ice cream dish

My mother orders mint

Spoon and bowl and all

Mine comes in a waffle cone

With three scoops on top

We sit down at a table where

A pot of bluebells sit

I take a lick

A sweet sensation of ice

Cold and sweet on my

Eager tongue

My mother’s in a swirl

My waffle cone is

Almost finished

Making me want more

Of that ice cold

Sweetness

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By Jack Lado
At the table tennis arena

I can hear the sound

Of the paddle

Hitting the ball.

Pa plunk pa plunk pa plunk

That sound booms

Off the wall

Like an echo echo

At the table tennis arena

I can hear the sound of

Intense parents yelling

At their kids

The mass of people

Crowded Like sardines

The modern look

Like a high tech gadget

I try to focus

On my opponent

I take deep breaths

Breath

Breath

Breath

The ref motions to me

Heart jumps a beat

Are you ready to play

He beckons

As my stomach feels

Like I went down a

Gigantic roller coaster

My hips start to shake and wobble

Like an earthquake

I’ve put so much effort

I really want to win.

The ball is rolled to me

I throw it in the air

It stays in the air for an eternity

Gasp

Gasp

The ball comes screaming

Down

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It's warm and I hear kids screaming and splashing

the bright sun warms me

the water glimmers, reflecting the sun

refreshing water sprays

smells like popcorn and pretzels

I hear a splash

and the smell of chlorine

slippery, slides squeaking

people having a great time
until they have to go home.

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I hear the loud crack above me.

I can feel the hot sweat roll down my forehead.

Rough terrain beneath my feet, shrubs and trees dot the ground, scrambling, scrambling.
Dust swirls up around me, coating me visor.

Rotted wood all around me, cracks beneath my feet.

Lightning strikes in the distance, the clouds loom above.

Breathe.

Breathe.

My senses take everything in slowly.

Time has slowed.

Sounds drown out, only a muffled chatter

Fills my ears.

I take a deep breath, dry, painted air fills my nostrils

I focus

On my opponent

He darts between trees and shacks

He scurries like a mouse beneath a cat

I am the cat

He is the mouse

I am the hunter, and for those who run, there is no hope.

I trap the mouse in my paw.

I raise my gun for the final kill

The mouse is trapped

The cat licks his lips

Boom

Dinner is served.

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Crowded with heavy fluffy snow

Lights strewn across the crowded streets

Icy dry air fills my nostrils and my boots tap Tap Tap

The ice cracks beneath me after I sssslip

The heat from inside the store surrounds me

A knife of ice crumbles as it glides through the air and CRASH

Ice pebbles cover the concrete

I Shiver as the wind blows across the street and gently brushes my bare cheek

The mountains cast their shadow as they cover the sun completely

As I bring myself to my feet I start trotting home

All the commotion around me calms down and I focus on the icy street in front of me

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The cool chill from the freezer
And the fresh breeze
The sweet savory smells

The sleek hardwood beneath toes' skin cells

The food filled fridge

The wonderful white walls surround me

The fresh tea
Sitting on the counter
The sunlight filling the room from the picture window

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A splash of paint

The smell of acrylics

The whisper of paintbrushes

As they dance across the canvas

Creating slashes and splashes

Colors

Shapes

Sizes

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I stand alone on the beach.

Toes digging into sand as I sit down gingerly, not wanting to disturb the peace.

I listen.

Soft oceans waves gently licking the shore.

The silence.

All the birds and animals could feel the peace and were embracing it with open arms.

I lean back on my arms and I feel the salty air on my skin,
b
r
e
a
t
h
e
it, love it.

I could sit for hours,
watching the sunset
with its golden glow
c a s t i n g over the ocean.

A gentle breeze blows my hair back and I let it
c
a
r
r
y
me away.

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I heard nothing over the sound of the endless void

All                                                   alone

No help

Stuck trembling

Air

S

E

E

P

E

D

through my skin

Chilling me to the bone

The deep blue water capped with white

No sound

No one to help me

Never to be seen again

Salt clawed at my eyes

Pain

Everything hurt

I was so tired

I felt like I would never sleep again

I heared silence  e c h o i n g  in my mind

Loudbut quiet

Quiet but ANGRY

ANGRY and painful

Yet still I hear a voice in my head

I won’t give up

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Screech, crack, bang, and crash.

Falling, tripping, crashing.

Oh, the things that happen.

Once in awhile, you fall and can’t get back up again,
so much pain and can’t move your foot.

B

E

E

P
Then without understanding what’s happening,
you have arrived to the hospital.

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I see waves crashing against the beach over and over

I watch people laying against the soft sand beach

I see a massive lifeguard watchtower

I smell dead fish and sunscreen

I taste Dell’s lemonade and salt water

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Cozy.

Neat and quiet.

Sounds would bounce back and forth between walls.

Trees rustle near my window as the sun splashes in.

The pillows soft against my head
It feels cool as each individual hair is placed on the fabric of the pillow.

Each box. Each book. Each object or item
Are carefully placed on shelves and in the closet.

When lights turn on, the room is filled with rays of light
Everything has shadows.

It’s almost as if they’re playing with each other, tag you’re it!
They tell me.

Knock! Knock! Read the sign I tell them

DO NOT DISTURB.
The sign says, they don't care
They never did.

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The bright orange sun high in the sky
birds chirp
people laugh
splash splash of the water
Boats and jet skis roar like lions in the wild
Children full of laughter
Dogs barking
Shush shush sound of the waves
Texture of the sand between your toes
Fins of the fish
Screams of tubers
The taste of refreshing lemonade
Sizzle of the grill
Juiciness of fruit salad
Felling of seaweed crawling up your leg
Smell of summer in the air
The sips and clicks of life jackets
Sounds footsteps on the sun faded dock
Crack of the wiffle ball bat
SPLASH

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I try to tune out all the noise
but I can’t
I can hear the air conditioner buzzing, buzzing like a bee I zip up my jacket, it is freezing
I look around the basic room
Tables
Chairs
Kids
I smile when I remember its Friday

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Destroyed

All I ever had

B  O  O  M!

S

H

O

T

to the ground

I am scared

air is still moist

I imagine if this was a drought instead

I can’t

I look around

My mind stubborn

it won’t move

Roofs caved in

look for green grass

I only see mini clusters peeking through

The destruction is everywhere

Parking lots, trees, houses, the local ice cream parlor

I look

I see

Sharp metal, rotting wood

Everything around

Destroyed

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The rolling hills dot out the final sun,

Humid windy night sends shivers down my spine,

In the dark distance you hear cars,

Animals asleep,

Their minds astray.

Rocks shine under the porch light

Giant shadows creep behind you.

Watching

Waiting

You never realize in the light,

How places can change,

In the dead of the night

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Dorothy's house

Far in the woods

Wicked witch’s legs poke out

No trespassing sign

But we enter anyways

Scared to see a bear

Hear foot steps
Creeping up behind us

Scared

Shouting GET OUT!!

Run away,
As fast as marathon runners

D

O

W

N

The hill

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Waves crash against the deserted shore, people yelling, desperately looking for lost family members. I walk down the middle of the streets, i’m all alone, everyone has gone, no cars, no people, nothing but workers looking for lost things. Books, tables and clothes, scattered across the streets. Everything is lost, in the hurricane.

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The rolling hills dot out the final sun,

Humid windy night sends shivers down my spine,

In the dark distance you hear cars,

Animals asleep,

Their minds astray.

Rocks shine under the porch light

Giant shadows creep behind you.

Watching

Waiting

You never realize in the light,

How places can change,

In the dead of the night

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Walked down the old whitehall street

Nice and warm air and water near

Old brick buildings that look ancient

Ready to tube and drive my four wheeler

Peaceful day on the lake

Not a sound is near except the waves

What a beautiful, White hall day

I see the boats on the great lake

Kids tubing, skiing, and enjoying the day

Michigan adventures is very near

I see a seagull in the air S

W

O

O

P

I

N

G

Down catching prey

What a beautiful Whitehall day- Danny Barnes

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A nice and cozy way to eat and drink

In a little warm restaurant up in north Michigan

Not too crowded when everyone is relaxed and

Comfortable; I have found my happy place, and you will, too.

While out on the lake, or even while glancing out on it

I get a swift shiver down my spine, like a snake slithering

Down the back of my shirt.

The wavy water forced by the wind looks depressing on a

Dark and cloudy late afternoon

Very cold and very dark.

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First day
In my seat
No friends to talk to
Nobody to sit with at lunch
Only new kid
I am all alone
Kids screaming
Throwing food
Too loud
Way too loud
My head hurts
take this all away
I just want to go back home

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Dark,

Cold,

Wet,

The perfect breeding ground for mold and roaches,

A dream mansion for mice,

A room only visited for service,

But a prison for me,

A cellmate with dirt, filf, and pests,

And here I am, given little food and water,

Living by the skin of what teeth I have left,

Hear until my toothless death.

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Ice cracking beneath your feet

Sky as blue as the water

The freezing breeze tickling the back of your neck

Fluffy snow like a cloud softly crunching under you

Water as clear as glass calling you

D

O

W

N

Into the dark freezing space

THROUGH

The Ice

ROUN

Water spewing up A you D

My heart  S L O W I N G

My eyesight going BLACK

Falling

Into nothing
The         ice
UNDER

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Children starving

having nothing to eat

Help!

Children who are lost

Or whose parents have died

Help!

Trash everywhere

Hasn’t been picked up

smells how it looks

Help

People with homes

made out of scraps

Help!

People getting sick

eating old food

drinking dirty water

Help!

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On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook the nation of Haiti, leveling more than 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings. The final death toll isn't certain; however, officials estimate between 100,000 up to 316,000 people died that day. 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or higher also did their fair share of damage.

Worship In Action went to Haiti after the earthquake and partnered with Food for the Poor to provide food and shelter for Haitians in need. Don also worked with a Food for the Poor film crew to shine a light on Haiti. Please take a look at this mini documentary below. It will certainly give you a glimpse into one of the world's poorest nations.

In April 2013, the International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook Database listed Haiti as the 20th poorest nation on earth, and the #1 poorest nation in the Americas. The Purchasing-Power-Parity (PPP) per capita in Haiti is $1,358.10, in contrast to the wealthiest nation on earth, Qatar, which has a PPP of $105,091.42. This is a HUGE difference that is clearly visible as one walks the streets of any major Haitian city or small community. According to the World Bank, over half of its 10 million citizens live on less than US$1 per day, and approximately 80% live on less than US$2 per day. Below are two resources for further understanding of this.

The World's Richest and Poorest Countries
Haiti Overview by The World Bank

Today, the vast majority of Haitians live on $1 or $2 per day and this obviously impacts their ability to purchase food, water, shelter or medical care. Malnutrition is a serious issue in Haiti, as is mortality among children. UNICEF listed the following on its website as the top issues facing Haitian children. Read Full Reference Here.

1. Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. Diarrhea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS are the leading causes of death.

2. Some 60 per cent of people, primarily in rural areas, lack access to basic health-care services.

3. Numerous schools and hospitals have closed because teachers, social workers and health providers could not go to work for fear of violence.

4. It is estimated that about 5.6 per cent of people aged 15-49 years old in Haiti are living with HIV/AIDS. This includes about 19,000 children. Antiretroviral drugs are extremely scarce.

5. As many as 2,000 children a year are trafficked to the Dominican Republic, often with their parents' support.

6. Only a little over half of primary school-age children are enrolled in school. Less than 2 per cent of children finish secondary school.

7. Approximately 1,000 children are working as messengers, spies and even soldiers for armed gangs in Port Au Prince.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck Haiti in 2012, on top of these already dire conditions, immensely intensified the suffering of the Haitian people, particularly children. The cleanup efforts have steadily come along and the majority of displaced Haitians have found new forms of shelter. However, with the literacy rate among Haitians at 53 percent and when millions of people no not have access to proper nutrition nor clean or usable water, there is still great work to do in Haiti.

This is why Don Moen :: Worship In Action has gotten involved in Haiti. God has not forsaken Haiti. He loves Haiti and is using willing folks to bring hope to people who desperately need it. Please consider joining us as we bring hope to Haiti. Make a Donation Here.

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Haiti :: Food for the Poor - Worship in Action

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On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook the nation of Haiti, leveling more than 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings. The final death toll isn't certain; however, officials estimate between 100,000 up to 316,000 people died that day. 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or higher also did their fair share of damage.

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Dark,

Cold,

Wet,

The perfect breeding ground for mold and roaches,

A dream mansion for mice,

A room only visited for service,

But a prison for me,

A cellmate with dirt, filf, and pests,

And here I am, given little food and water,

Living by the skin of what teeth I have left,

Hear until my toothless death.

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In Spring,

When the world is alive,

And the ducks nest on the half-frozen lake

When the stars spark

And the moon dances through the star-spattered sky

The trees grow, and the flowers bloom

For in Spring

The tiniest of crocuses is as important as the tallest oak

In our town, so far away from everything

In Spring

In Summer,

The sun beats down on green, green, grass.

The smoke from cookouts mixes with the scent of

Fresh-mowed lawns

Our days are spent

At the pool, our backyards, wherever we can go.

For it is Summer.

It feels endless, yet it ends, for after all,

It is Summer

In Autumn,

We are brought back to reality.

We start school, and soon life is back into its ordinary rhythms.

The geese migrate, the trees change color.

The trees are like fireworks, frozen in time,

As chilly winds that smell of of pumpkin, cinnamon, apple

Blow around and around.

What with Halloween and Thanksgiving,

We are whipped into a frenzy

By the promise of snow and holidays,

But,

For now it’s Fall.

In Winter,

The world is cold and sleepy

Hot drinks and sledding are all the rage

Walking in this snowy wonderland,

This realm of everlasting cold

The bright colors of the fireplace

Contrast with the blues and whites outside

Soon, the world will wake back up again

But for now,

It’s Winter.

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Shadowed sidewalks

Faded

Victorian houses lend themselves

To the

Imagination

Live this moment once

Rain creeps

Over

A street that held

Life now

Abandoned

No one stops to

Linger here

Wonder

What has been and

What will

Become

But life will always

Be there

One

Small noise from the

Maple shade

Changes

Brave to risk everything

A miracle

Flutters

It is still free

One life

Alive

Fears take flight from

The small

Mind

Soaring above the nightmares

Becoming memories

Dreams

Dreams on wings.

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The trees standing still in the morning sun

Their roots running deep into the ground

Dew that rest on the tip of grass until it

Drops

The fire wood is damp but not enough

Then the scattering of the squirrels of to hide their nuts

The forest is so peaceful

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s m a l l  town

Kept secret from the world,

Mountains surrounding

Looming like a shadow

F

O

L

L

O

W

I

N

G

Tailing

Dew from the fresh morning like tears on the ground

Stillness, silence, everything withholding.

Movement

The morning, the birds song

step

SNAP

Twigs BREAK the world comes alive

I begin a day that I know will last for eternity

Waiting

Walking

Peace

Quiet

Yet unrestful

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Little house beside the lake,

Near the forest

Crows calling out from the cover of trees.

Waves pulling against the pebbles on shore,

Wind rushing through pine’s timeworn branches.

This was the perfect home;

And it was mine.

~