Haiti Part Twa

I leave for Haiti in just a few hours. I fly from San Diego to New York Friday, then have an overnight layover before flying from JFK to Port-au-Prince on Saturday morning. (Sneaking in a Mets game Friday night.)

This is my third trip to Haiti. I’m nervous & excited & pumped & anxious & giddy all wrapped into one.

And, as per the norm, I just gathered and packed everything for the trip far Thursday night. Which means I need to pick up a few items… like long pants. People in San Diego don’t wear long pants. So I’ll need to acquire some between now and Saturday somehow.

What am I doing this time?

I’m traveling with 26 youth workers to Haiti with Praying Pelican Missions to check out their work there. My role? I’m there for the group going, serving as a second set of eyes to help youth workers discern a. If they should be brining a team to Haiti on a mission trip. b. Is Praying Pelican the right agency to partner with.

For me personally, I’m doing this because I’m passionate about getting students on mission. And while the work you do on a mission trip is incomplete in some regards, it moves students in amazing ways. If I can be a small part of encouraging teams to get on mission that’s a huge win for me.

Here’s 4 Things I’m Excited to See

1. Progress 3 years after the earthquake. I was in Port-au-prince just 5 weeks after the 2010 earthquake that killed so many and displaced something like half a million people. I went back in July 2010 and sadly didn’t see much progress. My heart is prepared to see little, but I’m really hoping to see signs of improved living conditions and positive progress. Please Lord, let the tent cities be smaller. 
2. Praying Pelican in action. It’s been about a year since I first got to know Christopher and the heart behind PPM. I couldn’t be more ecstatic than I am about this trip because I think they are leaning into a trend in international missions in getting the leaders on the field as part of the discernment process for involving their church. Pastors need to talk to other pastors, get to know one another, and potentially make long-term connections church-to-church. I’m pumped to see them piloting this trip. And if it goes well I hope to be a part of future trips like this.
3. 26 youth workers from all over. I love hanging with youth workers… and 26 people from the U.S., Canada, and beyond? It’s cool that we get to be together. And I love that moment, usually a few hours into the trip, when these folks realize THERE ARE NO STUDENTS! They get to come and be on the trip as an adult, let us take care of them, and just lean into what God is doing. It’s a beautiful thing.
4. Port-au-prince. What a city. It’s like a bees nest. It looks completely disorganized and disheveled when you first see it. But the more you get to know the city the more you see the way it works, the ebbs and flows, and the beauty beyond the problems. We’ll be spending a lot of time visiting various church work around the city so I can’t wait to see new parts of PAP I’ve not seen before.

Blog update

I’m not taking my big, fancy camera or my laptop. (40 lbs and $10,000 less gear!) So while I’ll have some internet access on my phone I don’t have aggressive plans to publish anything while I’m away. Your best bet for updates will be on Twitter and Instagram.