Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you have most likely heard of the earthquake that has disrupted so many lives in Haiti. While America has been doing its best to help out, five of RHS’s own students will be traveling to Haiti on a church sponsored mission trip.
“[I go to] Green Tree Christian Church and my youth group is called FUEL [Filling Up Empty Lives].We [Cassie Jamison, Brooke Stevenson, Donny Roshan, and Alex Goff] are going [to Haiti] from June 17th through the 25th,” junior Kelsey O’Brennan said.
Some people may worry that trekking to Haiti, a land that has been devastated by an earthquake would be dangerous.
“I think the earthquake in Haiti was tragic, and I am thankful that where we are going in Haiti was not affected as badly as some of the other areas in the country,” senior Cassie Jamison said.
During their eight day stay in Haiti, these students will assist the earthquake victims in a variety of ways which range from Biblical studies to helping out in the doctor’s office. This is an option thanks to the programs offered at Rolla Technical Center.
“We will be having a VBS [Vacation Bible School] for the kids. We are also doing several work projects and those who are in the Health Science Academy will be helping in the medical clinic. Three of the students; Brooke, Donny, and Cassie, will be able to use their CNA [Certified Nursing Assistant] License to aid with what that allows them to do, but I will only be allowed to observe because I will not have that license until the end of my senior year,” O’Brennan said.
While O’Brennan will be observing in the medical clinics, others are not sure as to what their duties will be.
“I hope to be useful in whatever way I am needed. We won’t know exactly what we are doing down there once we get there. I also hope to go there and learn and come back and make people more aware about what is going on and to get more people to go there,” Jamison said.
Staying in a foreign country for an entire week can be a bit overwhelming, or even scary. Luckily, the students from Green Tree Christian Church will be residing with a local pastor.
“We are staying at Pastor Manno’s house and his wife, Prisca. We will be staying there with them and their family,” O’Brennan said.
Green Tree Christian Church has organized trips such as this upcoming one before, but in the past, they have mostly consisted of adults.
“Our church group usually plan trips through the year, and then this year they’re doing a special youth mission trip so a bunch of the adults from the church are going as well as youth,” O’Brennan said.
Not only will the students be helping out the people in Haiti, but they will also be bettering themselves.
“I’m really excited to go because I, hopefully, will be using my nursing as a mission outlet, and doing this more often. And for those of you that pray, pray for the trip and keep us in your thoughts. Also, hope for the fact that we make a difference there,” O’Brennan said.
If you happen to see any of these five students before June 17th, be sure to wish them a safe and successful trip!
“I would ask people to be thinking about us and pray for our safety and for all the hearts that we will, hopefully, touch,” Jamison said.
