Mission Trip to Haiti: Round 2

Dear Family and Friends:

Last summer, I was fortunate enough to have a chance to make a little bit of a difference in a third world country.... I spent a month at an orphanage in Haiti teaching first aid and CPR to the older children and adults.  I played with orphaned babies, worked in the clinic with a local doctor, and did anything that needed to be done.

The orphanage, Pwoje Espwa Sud, is often the last resort for orphaned and vulnerable children of Haiti. Supporting nearly five hundred children, Espwa is a haven of hope, true to its English translation. Even though the orphanage supports so many children, it is a welcoming and loving family with its own micro culture inside the impoverished country of Haiti. During my time at Espwa, I felt embraced by the community and the stories of the many people I encountered touched me.  To this day, even though I am more than a thousand miles away, those memories remain vivid.

While in Haiti, I was challenged in ways I could never have imagined. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.   The devastation I saw and the overwhelming poverty cannot be described, only experienced.   Even with such poverty and devastation, the orphans are loving, generous and proud.  I feel honored to have had a chance to be a part of their lives.

Ever since I left, I have been dreaming of the opportunity to return.  In about 6 weeks, I plan to return, spending a week at Espwa during my spring break from Davidson.  I plan to continue what I started last summer. 

As many of you may know, this is a Carey family project.  My mother and  sister, Sydney, spent a week at Espwa last February with a group from our church.  My mom will be joining me on this next trip and we plan to continue with CPR and first aid instruction and plan to work in the clinic. 

Although I am prepared to fund this journey on my own, I am hoping that friends and family will support me in my mission. 

I truly appreciate all of you who have taken the time to consider helping me return to Haiti.

As my Haitian friends would say...."Mesi anpil"

Mackenzie