Mission Trip To Haiti

At the age of twelve, I fell in love with Haiti. A close family friend was planning a medical mission trip and she shared with us what she would be doing while in Haiti as we helped her prepare. Too young to go with her, I threw myself into doing everything that I could to help from home. I set up an information booth at church, collected and sorted supplies, and prepared a traditional Haitian meal for 100 people to raise money. I learned all I could about the people and the country, sharing that information with anyone who would listen. When I was fifteen, I was finally allowed to travel with our friend to Haiti on a mission trip. Preparing for the trip included learning about the living conditions in Haiti and very basic ways to make improvements.

Much of the work of a medical mission trip such as this is to treat acute illness or injury and then connect those with chronic illness to whatever limited resources exist in their community. We distributed toothbrushes but no toothpaste because many people will quit brushing their teeth when the toothpaste runs out and they cannot buy more. However, even brushing without toothpaste will significantly increase dental health. We served 300 or more patients every day, setting up in different areas to reach as many people without regular access to health care as possible. A real measure of success is when these 'acute' triage clinics are no longer needed in a particular community. Every day we spent in the field, sweltering in the hot Haitian sun, we found such joy and welcome from the Haitian people. They were so gracious and giving even though they live in such extreme poverty. I learned that the little things we take for granted here in the United States are luxuries in Haiti. It was very humbling to be received with such warmth from the Haitian people. Through this experience, I have learned a lot about privilege and not taking things for granted. I’m prepared to work hard, to focus on what is important, and shift strategies or directions when things do not go