Courage, by Sydney Boukedes

Hey everyone! I’m Sydney Boukedes and I just graduated from Myers Park High School. I'll be a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall. I’m excited to go to Haiti because I will be able to serve others, see firsthand how the Haitians live, and have an incredible experience before I go off to school!

I decided to go to Haiti after my younger brother started begging my parents if he could go. I thought it was very courageous and sweet of him to want to go so badly. He was the one that made me want to go, not just so that I could look out for him, but so that I could learn to be as caring and willing to serve as he is. I’m extremely scared, just because this is not something that I would decide to do on my own. But I feel that the Lord is calling me to step out of my comfort zone and be as brave as my brother. It’s going to be challenging for me, but I know that the Lord is sending me on this trip to change my heart and show me that there is no reason to be afraid.

Direction, by April Purvis

In the midst of choosing classes for next year, looking at colleges, and social dilemmas, all through my junior year, my prayer has been for direction. Seeing other friends know exactly what they're doing with their lives really began to take a toll on me. All I wanted was to start traveling towards the future that God has planned out for me. After really thinking about it, I realized that I'm still young and have much more time and many more experiences ahead before I gave the final answer. In fact, in trusting God, I realized that nothing was the final answer. He has the power to step in and completely redirect me towards his calling and the path for me at any moment in time. Rather than fret about my destinations, I should live in accordance with His Word and place my trust in him. I may not know the purpose I am to serve yet, but I know that he's placed a calling on my heart to Haiti. After serving on the team last summer, I fell in love with the country, the people, and what God was doing there. He is transforming it, and part of my purpose is to be a minute part of the transformation. I can't wait to return and see how things have been changing over the year since I'd last left footprints in Haiti's soil. 

Going To Haiti, by Joey Boukedes

Hello my name is Joey Boukedes. I am a rising 9^th grader and will be going to South Meck next year. I like to swim, run, and do Krav Maga. I have been going to ADVANCE for a couple years now and I have seen many high schoolers return from Haiti. They all seem to have loved their experience and I have been wanting to go for some time now. This is the first year that I am old enough, so I immediately signed up. I am excited to go to Haiti because I think that the experience would be good for me. I will get to see what the Haitians life is like and get an idea of how lucky I am. I’m nervous about how hot it will be there, and about getting sick from the water. I am also worried about how much work we will be doing, and how exhausted I will be. But seeing the kids’ smiling faces each day will make it all worthwhile. I am a very energetic and crazy kid, so I think I will love playing with them. Overall, this trip will make me face my fears and that will bring me closer to God. 

Always Trust, by Brittany Hanks

     I am completely overjoyed that I am able to go to Haiti this summer. I know this is going to be an incredible journey, and one that will change my life forever. Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to not only help people, but spread the word of God. Last year when I heard about the mission trip to Haiti, I knew that it was something I wanted to do.

     I started praying to God about going to Haiti to see if it was the right thing to do. I know it was a huge decision, and I wanted to be sure that God wanted me on this path. When my sister came back from Haiti last spring break and told me about it, I was amazed. I learned that among all the devastation and turmoil in the country, the people are still joyful and are filled with the Spirit of God. This really changed my perspective, because I had no idea what the Haitian people were going to be like.

Even though going there seems a little scary at times, I just remember that the Haitian people have always believed and trusted God in everything they do. They helped show me that I too can trust God in everything I do, because he will always be on my side. And with God on my side, I know I can overcome anything.

Excited, by Andrew Watts

Hi my name is Andrew Watts and this is my first time going to Haiti.  I’m so excited that I have the chance to go on this mission trip with Advance and help out the people of Haiti.  I really enjoy volunteering in Exploratorium at church with the 2^nd graders and now I am so excited to go serve the people of Haiti.  I have wanted to go to Haiti on this trip since I first heard about it at Advance.  It is going to be so fun to go learn about a different culture and share God’s word with the people there.  One of my biggest fears about going on this trip is that I will get sick and not be able to enjoy this trip.  I know that God will be watching over me though and keeping me safe.  I can’t wait for all the things we are going to do there like help the people, worship with them and having the chance to play with them.  I am so grateful that I get to go on this trip especially with other Advance students.  I feel like God is calling me to go on this trip to help out people that really need it.  I pray that we will all have a safe trip and that will also have fun and enjoy spreading God’s word.  Every day I become more and more excited for the trip and I can’t wait for the day that we leave.

Everything, by Elijiah Whyte

Hey everybody!!!!!  I call myself Elijah Whyte and I am very excited to go back to Haiti for a second time.  I am 16 and I am in 11^th grade.  I live in Fort Mill, SC but I hail from the Great White North.  I have also lived in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.  I have three little sisters and one older brother.  My youngest sister was actually born the day I left for Haiti last year and her name is Elijette (a.k.a. Gabriella-Elise-Regina Whyte). 

    I went to Haiti last year on the summer trip and it was an amazing experience.  I saw people that seemed to have nothing, but they really had everything.  They were the happiest people I had ever seen.  I originally went to help show the Haitians God’s love and mercy, but I think I learned more about this from them.

    I am very excited to go back and serve the Haitians and show God’s love to those who don’t know him.  In Psalms 96:3 it says to “Declare his glory among nations…” I am also very excited to go see the children and love on them.  They were very fun last time and I know they will be this time too.  I am looking forward to building relationships with the people I go with and the people in Haiti, and especially to see people I met last summer.  It will also be cool to see what has changed since last year.  I put all my trust in the Lord that this trip will be amazing and that we will all stay safe and healthy and I can hardly wait until the day that we leave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He has made me new!, by Katy Dassenko

I had started attending Advance in the fall of 2009 and had only been there a short amount of time before I was diagnosed with cancer and put into the hospital. In the summer of 2010, I went with Advance to Daytona Beach, Florida for BigStuf. There I heard Francis Chan speak on Gods blessing and how we think that bad things don't happen to bad people. He reminded us that we're in a WAR every day and blessed are those that persevere when confronted with trials. He gave us a verse: 1 Peter 4:12, which prompted me to read on. As I read on, 1 Peter 4:12&13 became my life verses after having been faced with a big trial. 

In February of 2011, I gave my life completely to Christ and shortly later I came across the verse Hebrews 12:1-3. Telling us to keep on pursuing and running after God and to always rely on Jesus. I had gone to a camp in the summer of 2007 whose theme for the week was The Ultimate Race and they made a song called "Dare to Run". From that week at camp I learned that the race I was running was already won, all I had to do was keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. Sadly in 2007, I wasn't really a Christian, but finding that verse 2 years ago and remembering all that I had learned from that week helped me keep my eyes on God.

Last year in 2012, I was riding to school with my dad listening to Aaron Keyes' song "I am a New Creation". The previous summer (2011), I had a t-shirt made with lyrics from his song which I wore a lot. But I had trouble really understanding and accepting that I really was a new creation. God had taken all my sins and shame, and made me a totally new person. This year as I was searching my heart for a senior quote, I pulled out 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, the new new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!", which fit the requirements for how long the quote could be, and also served as a reminder to me that God has made me a new creation! I am no longer filled with the sins, regrets, and fears anymore, but I am a brand new person in Christ! He has made me new! Which is also why I love Gungor's song "Beautiful Things", it reminds me of that old person I was and how God sacrificed his life to make us new!