Abruzzo, Italy.

I am not Italian. My blood runs Irish, as the rest of both sides of my family. In fact, I am the only person in my Italian class that has no Italian heritage. Many are taking the courses to talk with their Italian grandmothers and other family members. I just wanted to learn a beautiful language. That was it. Perhaps I am Italian at heart. But not by blood.

Right now, we are all Italian.

I don't pray. I am not religious, I don't read the Bible, and I leave the room when I think people are getting too pushy about their religious beliefs.

Right now, we need to pray for Italy.

In case you haven't heard, a terrible earthquake struck L'Aquila, in Abruzzo, Italy. The news is devastating. Hundreds hurt, and the numbers of those killed are rising far too quickly. Already now they are up to over 200, when last I heard it had been 50. I read a heartbreaking story of how two sons found their mother's body shielding their disabled father under the rubble. The homeless are up to 50,000 and rising. People are sleeping in cars if they have them, and fresh water and food are scarce. Volunteers are digging people out of the rubble and I can't imagine the heartbreak families are going through right now.

Abruzzo is about 50-60 miles east of Rome, and as soon as I heard the news Monday morning, I immediately emailed E to make sure he and his family and friends were all right. Luckily, they are. He wrote that the tremors woke them up in the middle of the night. I managed to breathe a sigh of relief for him before I started praying for the victims. Disasters like this can't be prevented or avoided and perhaps that is why it's the most tragic; there is nothing, nothing that can be done to avoid such tragedy. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has pledged to build a new town, and I hope he holds to his word, but it will never be the same. The medieval architecture is destroyed and can never be replaced.

The National Italian American Foundation has set up a special relief fund, and donations from the US are tax deductible.

The Croce Rosse is the Italian Red Cross, and is taking donations online.

I have Italian class on Thursday and I know that Patti and the class will want to come up with something, anything to help. I wish I could go over there and volunteer my time and efforts. Because despite my lack of Italian anything, I am affected by this because I know people close by, because I feel so tied in with the culture and people. Because I am human and in times like these, we must all work together to overcome the struggles.

Io prego per lei Italia.

LC.