A Volunteering Dream Realized
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Posted On :
Jun-07-2014
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Article Word Count :
876
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It was a long-time dream for Marnie Van Wyk to volunteer in Haiti and in February of 2014, she was able to realize her dream. Marnie kept a journal of each day’s activities so that she could remember her time and share it with others.
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It was a long-time dream for Marnie Van Wyk to volunteer in Haiti and in February of 2014, she was able to realize her dream. Marnie kept a journal of each day’s activities so that she could remember her time and share it with others.
Her best preparation took place the year before her journey. “The part that was missing was a journey the Lord took me through (this past year especially) in relation to GRATITUDE. I could not possibly have absorbed and learned and given everything I did had I not taken that journey first. If I had not done so, the distractions of physical discomfort and guilt would have probably been too much for me to bear all of the sadness,” she said upon her return.
The following is an abridged version of her description of the trip.
Friday, February 7
Drove over extremely bumpy, rocky, and in places, washed-out roads, dodging many people and animals… The country has had a drought for the last four months, so everything was extremely dusty. Nothing but a four-wheel drive vehicle can handle Haitian “roads”, and those break down frequently…. Haiti is in a constant state of demolition and construction, especially since the earthquake in 2010. Our team stayed at the New Life for Haiti staff and teams house in Marfranc, named Kay Bo Rivye, or “House by the River” in Haitian Creole.
On this day, our team delivered 35 school benches (made by the team of volunteers who’d been in the village immediately before us) to the school. We also worked on cutting the fabric for the uniforms for the over 200 children sponsored by New Life for Haiti for the 2014-15 school year.
Saturday, February 8th
On Saturday our team hiked way up into the mountains to the village of Plik. New Life for Haiti built the school here last spring, and a team of teenagers from our church painted the school this past June.
Sunday, February 9th
On Sunday we had the privilege of worshipping with our sister church in Marfranc, where Pastor Plaisir is pastor. I was able to meet our sponsored child, Blandine, as well as Merline, who made her debut this past October via Skype at our New Life for Haiti annual fundraising gala. People only come to church if they have church clothes to wear, which is sad because some people do not.
Monday, February 10th
Today the team had the tasks of photographing our 40 sponsored children at the school in Moron (pronounced with two long o’s), as well as feeding all of the 250 children there who attend that school (both those sponsored by NLH and those not). New Life for Haiti began the feeding program this year, and we are currently feeding the children at each school once a week.
On Monday afternoon our team succeeded in driving to the neighboring village of Chameau, which was breathtakingly beautiful, as was the view from the home and church of Pastor Estache and his beautiful family. We have ten children currently sponsored by New Life for Haiti in Chameau, and are hoping to add more this year.
Tuesday, February 11th
Today we returned to the school in Marfranc and photographed 130 children. It was feeding day at the school, so we also fed over 650 children a meal! I was able to meet Widline, a young girl who broke her hip last year and who, with NLH’s help, is currently getting the medical help she needs in Port au Prince.
Wednesday, February 12th
On Wednesday hiked back up to Plik in the mountains to escort the Unicef engineer to the village’s spring to see if the organization will help cap the spring, for sanitation purposes. Second, we would meet the pastor and children from the village of Plen Marie, where NLH built a school this past fall. Both the pastor and the school director hiked two hours down the mountain to Plik to meet us.
The engineer from Unicef was obviously moved by the plight of the people in that area, and he agreed that Unicef and New Life for Haiti should work together to cap the spring to help the people there, as well as provide education on community sanitation and safety. Late in the afternoon, another volunteer and I ventured to the weekly market in Marfranc.
Thursday, February 13th
Finally, on Thursday, February 13th, it was time to return home. Over the course of 15 hours, we traveled first by truck from Marfranc to Jeremie, then by 6-seater plane from Jeremie to Port au Prince. We spent five hours in the Port au Prince airport before flying on a large jet to Miami, Florida. After proceeding through first customs, then immigration, we finally boarded a plane from Miami to Chicago, where we touched down at O’Hare airport, just before midnight. I can only hope to return to the mystical and captivating island of Haiti again, for the children and the people there have captured my heart!
To learn more about volunteering in-country with New Life for Haiti’s, to donate, and to sponsor a child, visit newlifeforhaiti.org.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_A Volunteering Dream Realized_299283.aspx
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Author Resource :
Article Source: New Life for Haiti
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Keywords :
New Life for Haiti, help cap the spring, each day’s activities,
Category :
Society
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Society
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