Mission Trip To Haiti: A Personal Analysis

Diverse individuals with distinctive stories apply for school each year. Some with stand-out encounters, others an ability that separate them from others. Be that as it may, for me my experience, culture and trials are what decide my uniqueness. Conceived from the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, Haiti where I lived with my persevering mother (after the death of my dad when I was 10 months) providing for us through her little business. Until the overwhelming quake that struck my nation in 2010. This disastrous occasion changed my viewpoint in life. I left my past life alongside my mom in Haiti. I packed material possessions alongside the adventures and memories that I experienced throughout the years and went to a foreign nation to close relatives. I went to

When I was ten years old I gave some families in Haiti some clothes. Yes, I know every family has a clothes, but when you live in an area with people who have less then what you have it is sad. In the summer of 2012 my family and I went Haiti. Before that my mother told me to procure any clothes or shoes that do not fit me to put it in the box. Family members in Haiti would come to be able get any kind of item for their family. Every year my family would consolidate money, clothes, shoes, or toys to bring to Haiti. It would be a 3” by 4” feet box to fit everything people needed.

Sarah is not your average girl. She lives with her mother, Mary, who works three jobs to support her two children. Sarah, nor her little brother Benny, has ever met their father. He went to prison when Sarah was just four years old for drugs. Sarah has always hung out with the rougher crowd. Sarah does not really apply herself to school. Her mother is very worried she will not pass with the grades she has, so Mary decides she is going to have Sarah go with her grandmother, Betty, on a mission trip to Haiti. Betty is an active member in her church and always goes on trips with her parish to help people in need.

Being a member of a hard-working class and visiting Haiti, I’ve witnessed the socio-economic conditions that plague my community such as health shortfalls that could’ve been eradicated with education and ingenuity. Born to a Haitian immigrant, in a single parent home, I’ve learned to appreciate the structure and close-knit community that has shaped my outlook on life and define the person I am. In Haiti, every immediate neighborhood, every adult became your parent and transferred into every aspect of my life. This ideology derives from Haiti’s national saying “L’Union Fait La Force”, which means “Unity Makes Strength”. You could not pass a village or neighborhood in Haiti without a woman -- no matter the age -- carrying out food and a bucket

Shortly before my recent mission trip to Haiti, I decided to take the chance and sign up for a mission trip for Ecuador in June 2016. As I was trying to convince my parents to sign off on the trip, their one concern was the funds that I would need. I continuously told them that if it is God's will, He will provide. Now, a short three months after they agreed to let me go, I am happy to say that I have more than half of the funds needed to go. With that being said, I am still short on money for the actual trip which includes a place to stay, my plane ticket, meals, some construction tools and other expenses while on the trip. Although this stuff is mostly paid for at this point, their are other expenses that I need covered. With this being said,

In just thirty seconds, my life had taken a chaotic turn, making me realize just how much I had taken for granted .

As I stepped off the plane I thought to myself; Am I really about to step off the plane into the poorest country? Was I prepared for a week in Haiti? Looking back Haiti challenged me more than I have ever been challenged before; physically, mentally, and emotionally.

One demographic group in South Florida that has always stood out to me was the Haitian population. Majority of the Haitians that reside in the United States of America came from Haiti. Originally Haiti was known as the “rocky mountains”. Then as the tribes came together, Haiti stood for “the body of land” which was developed through the philological of the Taino, Arawak, and the Caraibes Indian tribes who colonized the island before Christopher Columbus and the European migration back in late 1492. Around this time Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spanish rulers, who would then call it “Hispaniola”. The Indians welcomed the settlers in, but it was not until the settles discovered there were gold in the riverbeds.

I went on a trip this summer to Maui, Haiti with my family for a mission trip. My mom has been going for over five years now and she loves the experiences each time we go as much as I do. This summer was my first time traveling to Haiti and I already fell in love with the place and people there. When I first landed in the Haitian airport, I already could see such a dramatic change they have there and how different an airport looks in America. My family and I went outside after our bags were checked and met up with my moms best friend, Arnold. When I met him I was so happy to finally see him and talk to him since my mom knew him for so long. From there I knew my next three weeks here will be the best and most amazing experiences I will ever have.

Over the past few years, I have had many opportunities to share myself in the service of others, but most importantly by mission trips to Guatemala. On such trips I helped indigenous Mayans living in some of the most impoverished regions. Throughout the duration of my visit, I helped build basic stoves, prepared and handed out food bags, gave away live chickens, handed out donations and water filters, and participated in eye clinics. While these actions may seem average, their impact has left a lasting effect.

This is where my journey began. May 2015 was a time that will forever change my life. I took a mission trip to Haiti with a group called the ACTS team. With everyday trials and tribulations what seemed tragic in my perspective was minor compared to what I saw people experiencing in this foreign country. I started this journey thinking that this would give me a new perspective on what life holds, as well as, minister and assist those in need.

A small mission team took a trip to Haiti last summer. Over the course of the trip one man was overjoyed to be there and felt God truly moving through him. That is until he was approached by a elderly woman who told him how her son is starving. He and his group traveled to the mountain region where the old woman lived. There she showed them her house and the community’s church. The dismally depressing sight of the village was hard enough to imagine people living there. But, it was there on that mountain when the elderly woman asked the man “why does God allow his people to suffer?” How could a question so simple leave a man so bold in udder silence? He thought to himself that there must be an answer. That night, at the camp they stayed at the

Off the Gulf of Mexico, lies one of the most densely populated and least developed countries in the Western Hemisphere with a population of almost 10 million people. The country faces many natural disaster and challenges, including a poor educational system, lack of sanitary water access, and inferior living conditions. This country is Haiti.

Despite the April Nepal earthquake occurring over 8,000 miles away from my boarding school, it hit our community closely, as two teachers had family affected by the natural disaster. When I realized there wasn't a clear program at my boarding school to send aid, I wanted to start a Red Cross Club. Although I started off alone, over 85 students joined the first week, making it the first Red Cross Club in all of Northern Louisiana. Fundraising for Nepal had a unique way of tying the school together on a local and global scale. Reaching out to the student body for their charity, we were dedicated to help the International Red Cross provide water, food, and first aid around the world. Exemplifying the impact of small actions, no matter how far

This approach allows the researcher to carry out the research for both practical and theoretical reasons (Maylor and Blackmon, 2005). The main focus on these case studies will be investigating how Maldives, Taiwan and Phuket rebuilt their tourism sector by using destination branding concepts and trying to generalize if the same concepts could be recommended for Haiti. “This approach will allow the researcher to eliminate external sources of variation and look systematically for patterns of action” (ibid: 246). According to Blaikie (2000), this approach is also the most suitable due to the short time and limited budget of the researcher (cited in, ibid 243).