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.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Cost of mission trip and fundraising
The holidays are fast approaching! I love the holidays and everything that comes with it. I love the planning, the preparing, the celebrations, the family, etc. Some people get stressed out during the holidays, I refuse to do that. Although time is moving at a breakneck speed, and my trip to Haiti is in the middle of this, I am enjoying every minute.
Thanksgiving will be here soon. I am so thankful for the wonderfully supportive family and friends I have. I had the H1N1 virus/flu over a week ago and some two great friends really stepped up and helped me out in my time of need with my children. My parents were out-of-town visiting my sister, so I was really in a bind. Shelley and Lori, thank you for being awesome!!
I am also tremendously grateful to those who contributed to my trip to Haiti. To date, I have raised $554. I did this by sending letters to 26 people. The people I sent letters to were friends and family. I sent a couple to close acquaintenances. And only one letter to a person I really do not know that well at all, and that would be my deacon at church. Out of the 26 people I sent letter to, 12 people responded. I also had 2 women at church that I did not send a letter to, but found out about my trip and wanted to contribute. This really surprised me! I did not ask them, but they felt move to gvie anyway. That is amazing to me!
The total cost of the trip, and this includes airline tickets ($608.99), registration fee($25), and the cost of the stay while in country ($925), costs $1558.99. I paid for the airline tickets upfront. I only asked people to contribute the $925 cost of the stay while in country. I now only have to pay for $371 of the trip. God is good!
Update on malaria pills: I was wrong about how they are suppose to be taken. You are suppose to start taking them one week before you leave, and then one pill every week there after for a total of 6 weeks. The pills cost $20.
Thanksgiving will be here soon. I am so thankful for the wonderfully supportive family and friends I have. I had the H1N1 virus/flu over a week ago and some two great friends really stepped up and helped me out in my time of need with my children. My parents were out-of-town visiting my sister, so I was really in a bind. Shelley and Lori, thank you for being awesome!!
I am also tremendously grateful to those who contributed to my trip to Haiti. To date, I have raised $554. I did this by sending letters to 26 people. The people I sent letters to were friends and family. I sent a couple to close acquaintenances. And only one letter to a person I really do not know that well at all, and that would be my deacon at church. Out of the 26 people I sent letter to, 12 people responded. I also had 2 women at church that I did not send a letter to, but found out about my trip and wanted to contribute. This really surprised me! I did not ask them, but they felt move to gvie anyway. That is amazing to me!
The total cost of the trip, and this includes airline tickets ($608.99), registration fee($25), and the cost of the stay while in country ($925), costs $1558.99. I paid for the airline tickets upfront. I only asked people to contribute the $925 cost of the stay while in country. I now only have to pay for $371 of the trip. God is good!
Update on malaria pills: I was wrong about how they are suppose to be taken. You are suppose to start taking them one week before you leave, and then one pill every week there after for a total of 6 weeks. The pills cost $20.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Search for Malaria Pills
If a person travels to another country, they should check with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) first to see if they need to receive any immunizations. Haiti does not require any immunizations to get into the country, but the CDC highly recommends making sure your tetanus immunization is up-to-date and to take anti-malaria pills at least 6 weeks before you travel.
I have been searching high and low for a doctor to prescribe some malaria pills for me. I started with my own physician. When I told the nursing staff that I was traveling to Haiti and needed to make sure my immunizations were up-to-date, they told me that they do not provide that kind of service. I was told to call the Department of Health or a traveling doctor and gave me phone numbers for both. The traveling doctor phone number was no longer working. And the Department of Health never answers their phone. I was able to leave a message for them. That was over a week ago and I have yet to receive a response.
I began to search for traveling doctors in the St. Louis area. I found one and called the clinic. I received no answer and there was no option to leave a message. I sent an email. No answer.
Time is running out. I need those pills so that I can begin taking them. I have approximately one week left to begin the medication in time. As I was at my chiropractor's office, I complained to him how I could not find anyone to prescribe anti-malarial pills. He gave me the name and phone number of one of his physician friends. He told me to drop his name and see if he could provide what I needed. Oh the power of a name! I called the office, told the nurse that my chiropractor recommended this physician to me. I told her I need to start malaria pills very soon! She took my number and said she would call back. She called back in less than 20 minutes and set up an appointment for me for this coming Monday. She said the doctor would be able to prescribe the meds, but he wanted to see me first.
As for the rest of the immunizations, Uncle Sam has provided everything under the sun to me while I was serving in the Air Force. I have every hepatitis vaccine and a wide variety of other immunizations. My shot record reads like a short novel. Tetanus was actually updated through SIUE.
I have been searching high and low for a doctor to prescribe some malaria pills for me. I started with my own physician. When I told the nursing staff that I was traveling to Haiti and needed to make sure my immunizations were up-to-date, they told me that they do not provide that kind of service. I was told to call the Department of Health or a traveling doctor and gave me phone numbers for both. The traveling doctor phone number was no longer working. And the Department of Health never answers their phone. I was able to leave a message for them. That was over a week ago and I have yet to receive a response.
I began to search for traveling doctors in the St. Louis area. I found one and called the clinic. I received no answer and there was no option to leave a message. I sent an email. No answer.
Time is running out. I need those pills so that I can begin taking them. I have approximately one week left to begin the medication in time. As I was at my chiropractor's office, I complained to him how I could not find anyone to prescribe anti-malarial pills. He gave me the name and phone number of one of his physician friends. He told me to drop his name and see if he could provide what I needed. Oh the power of a name! I called the office, told the nurse that my chiropractor recommended this physician to me. I told her I need to start malaria pills very soon! She took my number and said she would call back. She called back in less than 20 minutes and set up an appointment for me for this coming Monday. She said the doctor would be able to prescribe the meds, but he wanted to see me first.
As for the rest of the immunizations, Uncle Sam has provided everything under the sun to me while I was serving in the Air Force. I have every hepatitis vaccine and a wide variety of other immunizations. My shot record reads like a short novel. Tetanus was actually updated through SIUE.
Friday, October 23, 2009
What is a 4th World Country?
After traveling extensively throughout the world while serving in the Air Force, I have witnessed a level a poverty that I have yet to see in the United States. The places I traveled to were referred to as 3rd world countries.
Third world countries are loosely defined as "Countries that represent a modern society, but in the process of potential development as recognized continental representatives of the world community today. The majority among this group, comprises of many moderately wealthy, but militarily effective governments. To include to this, many Third World nations (especially in Africa), are affected drastically by political problems, or bad geographical conditions, such as droughts and non-fertile soil. Famines, shortages, regional wars, and etc., have all caused much instability and no hopes of restoration in the public in Third World nations. Today, the First World, and the Second World, come forth to bring aid and civil support to bring about strong foreign relations, and bring them into any of their collective orbits'. Many members of the Third World state of national powers, are of course nonaligned with any global significance and squander on their various economic or political concerns in regional affairs."
This December, I will be traveling to Haiti to be a part of medical mission trip. For the first time in my life, I heard the phrase "4th World Country". Haiti is defined as a 4th world country. A 4th world country is defined as, "Countries which according to the United Nations exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. A country is classified as a 4th world country if it meets three criteria based on:
-low- income (three-year average GNI per capita of less than US $750, which must exceed $900 to leave the list)
-human resource weakness (based on indicators of nutrition, health, education, adult literacy)
-economic vulnerability (based on instability of agricultural production, instability of exports of goods and services, economic importance of non-traditional activities, merchandise export concentration, handicap of economic smallness, and the percentage of population displaced by natural disasters)
In my opinion, I believe I still have yet to see the worst. As of January 2009, there are 49 countries that are classified as 4th world countries.
As a sponsor of Compassion International, I was struck by Wes Stafford's, the president of Compassion, words this year. He said, "In Haiti, mothers are making dirt "cookies." They mix together mud, oil and salt, shape the "dough" into cookies and bake them in the scorching sun.In my 32 years with Compassion, I have never seen the poor so poor."
For a man whose life revolves around those who are less fortunate, this is a big statement.
Third world countries are loosely defined as "Countries that represent a modern society, but in the process of potential development as recognized continental representatives of the world community today. The majority among this group, comprises of many moderately wealthy, but militarily effective governments. To include to this, many Third World nations (especially in Africa), are affected drastically by political problems, or bad geographical conditions, such as droughts and non-fertile soil. Famines, shortages, regional wars, and etc., have all caused much instability and no hopes of restoration in the public in Third World nations. Today, the First World, and the Second World, come forth to bring aid and civil support to bring about strong foreign relations, and bring them into any of their collective orbits'. Many members of the Third World state of national powers, are of course nonaligned with any global significance and squander on their various economic or political concerns in regional affairs."
This December, I will be traveling to Haiti to be a part of medical mission trip. For the first time in my life, I heard the phrase "4th World Country". Haiti is defined as a 4th world country. A 4th world country is defined as, "Countries which according to the United Nations exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. A country is classified as a 4th world country if it meets three criteria based on:
-low- income (three-year average GNI per capita of less than US $750, which must exceed $900 to leave the list)
-human resource weakness (based on indicators of nutrition, health, education, adult literacy)
-economic vulnerability (based on instability of agricultural production, instability of exports of goods and services, economic importance of non-traditional activities, merchandise export concentration, handicap of economic smallness, and the percentage of population displaced by natural disasters)
In my opinion, I believe I still have yet to see the worst. As of January 2009, there are 49 countries that are classified as 4th world countries.
As a sponsor of Compassion International, I was struck by Wes Stafford's, the president of Compassion, words this year. He said, "In Haiti, mothers are making dirt "cookies." They mix together mud, oil and salt, shape the "dough" into cookies and bake them in the scorching sun.In my 32 years with Compassion, I have never seen the poor so poor."
For a man whose life revolves around those who are less fortunate, this is a big statement.
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