Why Haiti?

Some may be wondering, “Why Haiti?” In fact, I have heard more than one person say, “I believe we should help people in our own country first!” While I do not disagree with helping people in our own country, I do find it a bit curious that these same people who have such strong convictions on the topic have never been on a mission trip. Personally, I think we should help whenever and wherever we can.
Why only help in one area? Let’s be honest there is always something right at our doorstep that we can choose to help or not help. Many people are out of jobs and feeling very stressed out. Why not ask them over for dinner? A night of food and conversation always seems to lighten the load, if only for a couple of hours. What about the widow who rarely gets a visitor? The gift of time is precious and we usually save it up for ourselves in order to “relax”. I point this accusing finger at myself. I am guilty of not helping in these areas like I should. But I this is what I know, when I do choose to give my time to others, I ALWAYS feel significantly better than if I had spent the time doing something only for myself.
I didn’t really choose Haiti. It chose me. Last year, around this time, I searched the internet extensively for a medical mission trip. I put out inquiries to approximately 4 organizations that had a fairly affordable price. Believe it or not, many of the stateside mission trips were pretty darn expensive. In the end, I received one response back from GCOM a few months ago. The time frame fit and the required funds seemed doable. So, I started the process.
Why a medical mission trip? Well, I discovered through my studies in Kinesiology that I love anything related to medicine, the human body, and wellness. If I had to do it all over again, I would have become a doctor. However, at this point in my life, I have other priorities, namely my children. So I have decided to pursue mission trips when possible and hopefully pursue an EMT certification in the future to be of more assistance. In my retirement years, I would love to get a nursing degree and join Doctors Without Borders. Thankfully, there are medical mission trips that allow non-medical personnel to attend and assist in whatever capacity is needed.
Another reason I am going on this trip is because I want to instill a sense of gratitude and compassion in my children. As a society, there is an air of entitlement that permeates throughout. I want my kids to be grateful for what they have and not have the desire for more stuff that will never provide the peace that only God grants. When faced with poverty, and I am talking about real poverty, people without homes, food, and barely clothed, we should immediately give thanks for the roof over our heads, the clothes on our back, and our refrigerator filled with food. We are very rich compared to most of the world. I want my children to have compassion that urges them to help those who do not have the basic necessities in life. I am far from perfect, but I believe the best way to teach a child is to lead by example. And with that, I will sign off for now.