Haiti and Nicaragua 2015

I'll always remember the moment when I realized the man waiting in the hot sun beside me had suffered a stroke.  I couldn't speak his language, but I watched his movements, and listened to him explain his symptoms  through a translator.  I knew that there was nothing our little medical clinic staffed by volunteers could do for this man.   Who knows how long he had waited for a  clinic to arrive, only to find out that there was no medicine we could give him to solve his problem.  That is the reality of so many who live in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.  

My friend told him the bad news.  

The local pastor we brought with us then told him the good news.  

This summer, I will be spending two weeks in Haiti at Tytoo Gardens orphanage, with a team of medical providers and several others.  I will be creating media for our team to present to their supporters, and I will also be creating videos for the Tytoo Organization to use to increase fundraising and involvement in their ministry.  Some of my time will be spent with the "starfish" program, a ministry that supports mothers who would otherwise give up their children to an orphanage, allowing the children to grow up at home, with enough food to survive.  Once the medical team leaves, I will have an opportunity to meet with (and possibly film) some members of a local gang the organization is reaching out to.   I hope to also tell the story of a young man with a mental disorder who would harm himself, who through the intervention of Tytoo Gardens staff, has been connected with a doctor and has begun a course of treatment.  A video I created for our team last year is on the Tytoo Gardens website, and we are planning to create more specific and useful content to encourage further engagement with their ministry.  

At the end of my time in Haiti, I will be flying immediately to Nicaragua (the 2nd poorest nation in our hemisphere), to join a team from my church, again, creating media for both the team I am a part of, and the organization we partner with.  Nicaragua Resource Network (NRN) has connected us to a church we have been serving for the last 6 years, helping them grow and serve their community.   Once there we will support the church in it's ministry, helping them reach out to children, teens, and women in their community.  

Last year, video I created specifically for our church, was used by NRN at it's annual fundraising Gala.  It was very well received and this year we plan to deliberately create films highlighting specific parts of their ministry for use on their website and in fundraising events.  

My name is Joshua Stairhime, and I have learned to listen.  I listen to the stories of others, I learn from them, and when the time is right, I will speak on their behalf.    No one is guaranteed a voice, but I seek to use mine on behalf of those you would otherwise never meet.  

Will you help me reach my goal?  
jS

FAQ!

Why $3000?  

Every penny of my $3000 goal will go towards plane tickets, baggage fees, disaster insurance, and lodging while I spend  26 days overseas.   Lodging is dorm style, provided by the organizations I will be serving, and I will be travelling with the least expensive flights I can find.   I have not padded my goal to buy extra gear or souvenirs.  This is the bare minumum required.  

Why not fund it yourself?  

If I could I most certainly would.  I hate asking for money.

I have invested a large amount of my personal money into acquiring the right tools to tell meaningful stories in an engaging and meaningful way.  The backpack I carry in the field contains over $8000 in gear I have purchased over the course of the last 5 years...each peice essential to telling a story well.  Video production is not cheap, and I am donating my time and talents to these organizations, expecting to see a 10 fold increase in my investment returning to them through fundraising.

I continue to work and save as much as possible to cover my ongoing financial obligations while I am gone (car payment, camera gear bought on credit, phone bill, etc).  My job is project based, and I have no way to determine how much I will earn before I leave.   I will be giving up an entire month of earning in order to serve those in need.  

I am also selling old sound equipment and instruments in order to make this goal a reality.   I do not ask you to sacrifice without making a sacrifice of my own.  

I can't give money, how else can I help?  

Here are a few ways.  

1.  Prayer.  I mean it.  I'll be gone for 26 days and safety is not guaranteed.   
2.  Share this fundraising page with people you know who may be interested in supporting my work.  

Does what you do make a difference?

Time and again I have watched people brought to tears by the films we present.  Many times new people are encouraged to stretch themselves and take risks of their own in serving others because they have watched media I have created.  Will I single-handly change the world?  No.  I don't expect too, but I do expect to challenge the thoughts and opinions of those who view the media we create, and leave them with an opportunity to get involved if they feel inspired to do so.

Why work overseas?  Why not something here in the U.S.?

I love the United States, but I also love people in other countries.  I think American exceptionalism is partially found in our willingness to help others.  Many people are not willing or not able to serve those in need overseas, so I hope they will be involved here "at home".  I am willing and able, and will go serve these ministries when others can't.    

Where can I see your work from past trips?  
You can find content at my website,  and trip specific content for Nicaragua, here ,  and Haiti, here.  

Other questions?  

Send me an email at [email redacted] and I will do my best to answer them.  Thank you for your support.