What Would it Look like to Try Something Different?

What Would it Look like to Try Something Different?

It’s very exciting to go to a different country and try to experience another culture. I am pretty excited to take a team to Haiti, my homeland. The land of sun, beaches, palm trees, etc... Haiti has so much to offer to foreigners, they only need to come with an open mind, open hands and an open heart to learn from the nationals.

A little background about Haiti.  The culture of Haiti is a mix of African and European elements due to the French colonization of Saint Domingue (before it was named Haiti). The official language in Haiti is French and the mother tongue is Creole, which is based on French with influences from Portuguese, Spanish, Taino, and West African dialects.    

A short-term mission trip that changes lives will have a long legacy. Often North Americans go to Haiti with the mentality that they are going to save this poor country. It is so true that Haiti needs external help but that does not mean Haiti is bereft of all good resources. Unfortunately corrupt government has long hindered Haiti from achieving its potential. God is the only One who can save Haiti, but He wants to use us as a channel to bring this change.  

God wants us to be His hands and feet to bring change in Haiti. So that when the nationals look at us they will see Jesus Christ; we want to point them to Jesus as the only source of life.  Therefore, we do not go on a mission trip to save Haiti rather we go to be part of what God is already doing in Haiti.

Going to Haiti with a team is a two way street, both parties have something to offer. At the end of the trip my desire is that the nationals would see Jesus in each one of us.

Our host will be Haiti Arise Ministry, located in Grand-Goave. Grand Goâve is a community in the Léogâne Arrondissement in the Ouest department of southwestern Haiti. During our visit we will drill a water well with a national company. We will help a church and a school with their construction. We will also visit God’s Littlest Angels, an orphanage. 

            While we are there, Haiti Arise will have their annual youth conference which we will be part of and we will take the opportunity to work with the youth as much as we can. We hope to get a good sense of the country while we are there; to see the good and the beautiful, as well as the tough and impoverished aspects of Haiti. 

Bondye beniw (God bless you),

Samuel Bernard