Interview with B re:Haiti

Exactly one year ago, in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake, my roommate, B, went on a mission trip to Port Au Prince, Haiti with a group of college students and a medical doctor.  The team stayed at a local orphanage and served in the community through their interactions with the kids at the orphanage, assistance with some construction projects, and work in a medical clinic.

 

 

Exactly one year later, she has the opportunity to go back to Haiti and continue to serve and love the Haitian people through her skills as a registered nurse.

 

 

 

Rather than just filling you in with the trip details in narrative form, I thought it would be much more interesting to hear about the trip in B’s words, so here’s our oh-so-official interview (that may or may not have taken place in our pj’s a little too close to midnght) . . .

 

 

How long will you be in Haiti?

The trip is 8 days.  We leave on Sunday March 6^th and come back Saturday March 12^th.

Are you traveling with a particular organization?

Yes, I’ll be traveling with a team affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Men.  Officially, we are “Team 64”.

 

 

In what part of Haiti will you be working and/or staying?

We’ll be staying in and working near a small village about 20 miles north of the Port Au Prince airport.  We’ll be staying in a house with most basic modern amenities – and by basic, I mean most likely really basic, things like “running water” (which based on my last experience, is somewhat open to interpretation), electricity, and beds – on the Global Outreach/Haiti compound, which is also currently housing Samaritan’s Purse.

How many people will be on your team?

There are eight people from another local church in North Carolina on the construction team and there are four of us from a few different churches on the medical team.

 

 

 

What type of work will you and the team be doing?

The construction team will be assisting with building temporary housing.

The medical team that I’m part of will be working in 2 mobile clinics alongside Haitian doctors and medical support staff that were set-up by the North Carolina Baptist Men.  We’ll mostly be doing triage, primary care, wound care, and pharmacy.

What are you most looking forward to about the trip?

Getting to go back! 

It’s different this time because I won’t be in the same place or working with the same people, but it’s a new experience in a similar situation, but also in a completely different environment, so I’m looking forward to working in the clinics there.

 

 

 

How can we specifically be praying for you and the team?

Safety and ease of traveling (security, baggage, etc.) to/from the country

Safety while in the country

Health of the team

Unity within the team

Personal spiritual growth for us as individuals

And of course ministry opportunities to the people we’ll be interacting with

 

 

Is there anything else we need to know or that you would like to share?

Psalm 77 comes to mind. 

It reminds me of how when we were down there before, we saw so many people who really had nothing to begin with, and after the earthquake, many lost what little they did have, and yet, there was such a huge revival/awakening/whatever you want to call it…

One day we went to a big tent revival, and I don’t know if the people believed in God or not, or what their religious history was, but there was a sense that a spiritual revival was sweeping over the people. 

In their distress and brokenness, rather than being mad or upset about their situation, although they may not have understood much about God at the time, they were ready to embrace hope, and that left such a wide-open opportunity to share the love and hope and sovereignty of Christ right in their moment of need.

 

 

“I cried out to God for help…when I was in distress,

I sought the Lord…has his unfailing love vanished forever?

 

Then I thought…Your ways, God, are holy. 

What god is as great as our God?  You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples. 

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people.

 

The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and

writhed; the very depths were

convulsed…You led your people like a flock…”

 

Selected Verses from Psalm 77 (New International Version – emphasis added)

 

 

 

Will you join me in praying for B (and the rest of the team) as she serves the Lord in Haiti next week?

(All photos are courtesy of B from her previous trip to Haiti.)