Helping Haiti

Rock Valley - When Christians see a need sometimes they feel prayers are the only thing that they can do to help. However, some people realize that prayer is not the end of their response. That is why groups of women, representing several churches in Northwest Iowa, spend time sewing and making school uniforms, nametags, dresses, and quilts.

A young Haitian holds a soccer ball with Bible verses written in the Creole language. These verses have been explained to him and are to serve as a reminder as he plays.

The work is part of “Mission Haiti”, a mission organization based in Tea, South Dakota that runs an orphanage in Haiti and supports a school for younger children. Fifty-gallon barrels are packed with clothes, shoes and story Bibles written in the Creole language and sent to Haiti.  Mission teams organized under Mission Haiti also help to get the items there.  Alma Kooistra, a member of Rock Valley's Trinity Christian Reformed Church, explained,” Each of us on the trip was allowed to check a 50 lb. bag for our flight, and each of us gave that space for items to be shipped with us for the Mission.” She continued, “Eight of us were first-time visitors, others had been there before. We were a motley crew destined to become a tight organization of goal directed individuals and common purposes."

This group came to know and love the Haitian people and also began to see God working in their lives as well as the lives of those they came in contact with. In the end, they never wanted to leave and are anxious to go back. Kelci Kooima, 14, described wanting to go back and visit Haiti, " I would definitely go back or go on another mission trip because even though we try to help the people and be a blessing to them they actually bless us too in return and it really teaches you about the importance of helping people and just being their friend."