Super Duper, by Kyrsten Gable

I’m super duper excited for this mission trip to Haiti! When I was eight years old, I took my very first mission trip to Nicaragua. At first, this was very scary to me because I had never experienced anything like it before but at the end of the trip I didn’t want to leave because I had built friendships with the people. Each time I’ve been back, I leave changed and impacted by the love and joy of the people. Instead of doing something meaningless during Spring Break, I wanted to serve and love on people while having an experience that will change me for the rest of my life. I love seeing the power of Christ change people’s lives through his love and grace and give them something to live for. I also want to build a stronger relationship with God and step out of my comfort zone.

When I first started raising money for this trip, I thought it would be a breeze and I would get the money in no time; to my surprise, it has been a lot harder than I thought. The Lord is definitely testing my faith and making me realize how impatient I can be. The verse that has gotten me through this is Matthew 6:33-34. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." This verse shows me how important it is to trust in him no matter what! I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me and how he will use me to impact others while also deepening my relationship with him!

A Complete Turn Around, by Brian Emery

When the earthquake hit Haiti back in 2010 I honestly could of cared less. I thought to myself, " I don't know anyone there, why should I care about those people? " At the time I wasn't a Christian, and really didn't care about anyone besides myself. After I gave my life to Christ last January I slowly but surely started having a change of heart.

When Ryan Carson shared his experiences with me about all of the broken people there, I came to realize they were no different than me. They might of lived in a different part of the world, and had different struggles then me, but they're still human beings. Broken people that need Jesus just as much as me. If it wasn't For Mark Hudak sharing the Gospel with me, I wouldn't have the passion I have now to share it with the Haitians.

I can say that I have experienced a complete turn around about my views of Haiti. I went from not caring at all, to being eager to help and serve as many Haitians as I possible can. I want to ask that my team and I will stay in your prayers, and that we can help glorify and help build up the Kingdom Of God! 

A Step in the Right Direction, by Lauren Nalevaiko

We all have bad days and good days.  We go to school 5 days a week and come home sit on the couch in a heated/ air conditioned house and complain about how much homework we have,  we open our closets full of clothes and complain that there is nothing to wear, we open a fridge full of food and complain that there is nothing to eat, we complain when there’s no toilet paper left on the roll because someone forgot to change it, and we complain and complain and complain. 

            This Spring Break I get the privilege, along with my peers, to travel to Haiti and spend time with beautiful people building relationships and partaking in a life changing experience.  We are so use to having such simple luxuries that we forget to be thankful for full meals, warm clothes, and a good education that so many are deprived of.  So I am going to Haiti to help make a change.  God has blessed me with so many gifts that I am beginning to discover.  1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”  This is exactly what I hope to do down in Haiti.  In our last meeting with the Haiti team we took a test to see some of the gifts God has given us, and I had the highest score in problem solving.  Although I’m not yet aware of how my gift will aid me on this trip, I’m sure it will become clearer soon as I continue to prepare.

            My goal from now until I leave is to step back and be more aware of what’s going on in my life as well as how I affect the people around me.  We need to stop complaining and start showing compassion.  I know this trip will shape me into a better person; I can’t wait to be taught new life lessons by my team and the Haitian people.

The Chance of a Lifetime by Patrick Kavanaugh

This is not my first mission trip. Two summers ago I went to Zimbabwe with a team from Samaritan’s Feet.  We distributed a few thousand shoes, mostly to children but also to government officials and teachers as a sign of peace and healing.  Ever since that trip I have felt a calling to get out into the world and make a difference somewhere, even though it may be out of my comfort zone.   There is no greater time to spread the love of God than now, especially to such a hurting country as Haiti.

            Many of my friends don’t understand why I would want to give up my spring break to do something that may not be as “fun” as going to the beach or the lake. I don’t see it as a less enjoyable activity, but rather, I see it as exchanging a meaningless activity for one that will have a lasting impact somewhere in the world.  There will be plenty of other spring breaks, but going on this trip and impacting this country is the chance of a lifetime.

Why I am Going to Haiti, by Cerise Furr

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  I think that this verse is very important for people who are going on mission trips because Jesus directly commands you to make disciples and teach them the things that you have learned.  We are not supposed to go to a foreign area and expect great things to come out of it, if our heart really isn't in it.  We should go into these kinds of mission trips knowing that physically helping isn't all that matters, we need to reach into peoples' hearts and tell them about Jesus, too.

On that note, I would like to say why I am going to Haiti.  I am going to this broken country because the people need their homes or other personal items to be repaired, they need people to play with them and have a good time, and they also just need loving on.  I know that God has given me the ability to do all of these things, so I am very excited to see what He has planned for me and how He will use me.  I am also going to Haiti because I know that if I wasn't going, then I would probably be stuck at home bored or on vacation.  I know for a fact that my house or the beach definitely does not need me as much as Haiti does.  So, I totally feel blessed that God has called me to go on this mission trip.  

When I signed up for this, I was not expecting to write a few paragraphs on why I am going, but I have realized that there are more unsuspecting things to come.  We will never know for sure what God has in store for us, but all we have to do is listen to Him and go with the flow.  I know that God is so excited for this team to be going and that we can definitely change some peoples' lives.  This will for sure be an experience that we will not be able to forget.

Others First, by Hannah Lee

I know this trip to Haiti going to be such an amazing experience, and I'm so excited to see what God has in store for our team going this spring break. I'm looking forward to taking this step and getting out of of my comfort zone. This will be something very new for me, especially since I've never been out of the country. I'm going on this trip to Haiti to not only serve and help the Haitians, but also to grow in my own faith.

One thing God has been teaching me in the last few months is to step back and realize how truly blessed I am. I feel like media and our society today are telling us that we can never be satisfied unless we have all the things we want. I know I can definitely get caught up and I forget to realize that I have way more than I need, and I have so much to be grateful for. I'm hoping that through this trip to Haiti, God really opens my eyes so I can fully understand how fortunate I am. I hope to come away from this trip with a new, more Christ-like perspective.

A passage that has really been speaking to me is 1 Corinthians 10:23-24. It talks about how you can be doing nothing, or you can be doing something benificial that helps others. It also says you should always be putting others' needs before your own. This speaks to me because it's saying that you should work towards things that benefit others, and it's the best way to spend your time. This calls me to go to Haiti, even if it is out of comfort zone, so I can do something that is beneficial and puts others before myself.

A Post by team member, Katie Kappler

I am very excited about getting to go to Haiti, because I will get to help people in Haiti, learn their culture and grow in my own faith and leadership. This is one of the biggest and greatest steps that I have ever taken. 

The verse that has been speaking to me now and is my favorite, is Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This verse is very important to me, especially when I am going on a trip like this. I do not have to worry about what is going to happen, because I have put it in God's hands to work through me. 

    I hope that during this trip, I can show more leadership. I am also looking forward to being able to speak in front of crowds. I think the thing that scares me the most, is sharing my testimony. I am going to be very nervous about sharing that in front of a lot of people, but I see that as and opportunity to overcome my fears and also grow in my faith. I am very excited for March 31st to come. I know I will come back a changed person and I will learn a lot to.