Mission Trip
Thursday, May 30 - Saturday, June 8, 2019
Due to civil unrest in Haiti, this trip has been cancelled.
Cost Estimate: $1,700 - $2,000*
Minimum age requirement: 18 years old
Application required. Space is limited.
Travel to Haiti with us to see all the wonderful things the Lord is doing! We will visit both sewing programs and participate in a variety of mission work with our mission partners, Waves of Mercy and Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.
We want everyone who comes with us to have a great experience so we are providing a lot of information about the trip upfront, so you can decide if this trip is right for you. We know this is long, but please read the entire page prior to completing the trip application.
*The cost depends on number of people and cost of airline tickets. If fewer than 6 people go, it could cost between $2,000 - $2,800).
Deadline to apply: Sunday, April 7, 2019
Behind the scenes photoshoot with the Port-de-Paix sewing students.
Little boy in Na Byen with his VBS crafts.
Activities
You will have the opportunity to visit Port-de-Paix and Mole St. Nicolas in Northwest Haiti to visit the sewing programs, and meet the students and teachers. If you know how to sew and are interested in sharing your skills, we would be delighted for you to spend some time teaching the students.
When we’re not with the sewing students, we will participate in a variety of activities with our mission partners. Our trips are relationship-oriented as opposed to construction and project-oriented trips. Our goal is to build relationships with the locals, help and encourage the missionaries, and learn more about the culture.
Past activities have included Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, hut to hut evangelism, community movie nights, dance competitions, women’s seminars, parties for the street boys, spa day for seniors, etc. Just a word of warning, we do a lot of activities with children of all ages, so if you’re not a “kid person” you may not be comfortable on this trip. We will determine the exact activities based on the makeup of our group, and our mission partners’ needs.
Also, it is important to note that we are not there to “fix Haiti.” Only God can help the people of Haiti, and we are there to simply love the people, and help in any way that He leads us. Plans often change due to a variety of factors, so patience and flexibility are important traits on a trip like this. Remember, not our will be done, but His will be done.
Getting ready to take off in the small 5-seater airplane. The 9-seater is a little bigger than this one.
Travel
Due to safety and liability, everyone on the trip will fly in and out of the United States together. Everyone will fly Delta and meet in the Atlanta terminal. We will fly into Port au Prince together on the same flight. The ministry is located in Sellersburg, IN so we fly out of Louisville, KY, but you can fly out of the airport that is closest to you. We will fly on a 9-seater airplane to Port-de-Paix. The flight is approximately 45 minutes. Throughout the week, we will be riding on the back of trucks and in ATVs. Most of the roads in the Northwest are not paved so this is often a bumpy ride, which can be extremely rough at times. Please be aware of this if you have neck or back problems. We will be riding in the back of a truck to the Mole, and it is a rough 3 hour trip.
On the way home, we will fly the same 9-seater airplane from Mole St. Nicolas back to Port au Prince. Again, it is approximately a 45 minute flight.
View from the missionaries’ home in Port-de-Paix.
Living Arrangements
While Haiti is beautiful, this mission trip is not a resort vacation. We will stay at the home of our mission partners, Waves of Mercy, in Port-de-Paix. Their home is on their campus, and is situated on a hill with a wrap around porch that has beautiful views. They have cots for us to sleep on, and an indoor bathroom with a regular toilet (some places in Haiti use buckets) and a regular shower. Only two rooms are air conditioned, but there are some fans throughout the house. We will bring most of our own food to prepare while we are there.
In Mole St. Nicolas, we will sleep in the dorms on campus. They have men’s and women’s dorms. Each dorm has cots, mosquito nets, two regular toilets, and two bunk-house style showers. They have a Haitian kitchen team that will prepare all of our meals, all of which will be Haitian-style. So plan on a lot of carbs…rice, pasta, beans, etc.
Beautiful view from the porch of the missionaries’ home in Port-de-Paix. The large river is called Trois Rivières .
Weather
It will be hot and humid in Haiti. Most days will be in the 90s. Sweating is the norm. Air conditioning is a rare luxury, and most places won’t have it. Please be aware, if you are heat sensitive or just hate the heat, you will be miserable. If that’s the case, we recommend visiting during the cooler months.
Clothing
Michelle’s not going to win any fashion awards, but at least these clothes are comfortable.
To respect their customs and norms, women are required to wear knee-length skirts or dresses (or longer). All of the women wear shorts underneath, because we’re constantly climbing in and out of trucks. Also, no spaghetti strap tops are allowed, but thicker straps are ok.
We dress up when we go to church, and men will need to wear dress pants or khakis, and a tie. Women can wear skirts and a shirt that covers the shoulders.
Health Concerns
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the Northwest is the poorest part of Haiti.
Haiti does not have the medical facilities or pharmacies that we have in the United States. There are only a few hospitals in Port-de-Paix, and none in Mole St. Nicolas. They have very limited supplies, equipment, and personnel. You do not want to end up in a hospital in Haiti for a variety of reasons. Because we are so far from the capital of Port au Prince, medical evacuation can take up to several days.
If you have mental or physical health concerns, please consult with your doctor or counselor first to see if this trip is safe for you. Also, please talk with your family to see if they have any concerns.
***If you know of any mental or physical health problems that could pose a problem during the trip, please do not travel to Haiti on this particular trip. ***
Not only for the sake of your health, but also for the sake of your teammates. Many people will take vacation time and save a lot of money to come on this trip, and if you have to be medically evacuated, then we have to cut the trip short and leave the country with you. Of course, accidents and emergencies can happen, and we would not fault you for something like that, but please do not knowingly put your health at-risk. It is simply not worth it. There will be other trips, and many organizations travel to Haiti throughout the year. We would be happy to give you recommendations for other trips that may be a better fit.
FAQ
How many people can go on the trip? The minimum number for the trip is 4 people. The maximum is 9 people.
Who will book the Delta airline ticket? You will be responsible for booking your ticket from your preferred airport, unless you are traveling with us out of Louisville, KY, in which case, we will book those tickets together. We will provide you with the flight number for you to book your flight. ***Delta has raised their airline tickets over the past month. If we travel, we will likely fly on American Airlines.
Are all the fees due at once? No, they will be due at various times leading up to the trip. We will provide a breakdown of costs and due dates in the future. All fees will be due before the trip.
What’s a typical day like? We generally split our days between morning and afternoon activities. Occasionally, we may have some evening activities, but usually the evenings are reserved for downtime or used to prep for the next day.
Do I have to stay with the group the entire time? Yes, this a group trip and you will be surrounded by people the entire week. This can be difficult for some people, so we want to be clear that this is a highly group-oriented trip. However, you can explore both campuses by yourself, but due to safety and liability, you cannot travel around Haiti without the group.
What vaccines are needed or required? Hep A & B, updated Tetanus, and an antibiotic (like Cipro) are required. Malaria medicines are recommended. Typhoid vaccine is optional.
Will I have clean water to drink? Yes, you will have access to clean water via our mission partners.
What’s the likelihood that I’ll get sick on the trip? Stomach illnesses are common. Most people are sick at some point during the trip, but there’s always a few lucky ones who avoid it. Constipation and travelers diarrhea are both common.
Are mosquitoes bad there? Yes, we highly recommend bug spray and/or bug bands.
How will we communicate with the people? We will have interpreters.
Do they have cell service? Sometimes the service works and sometimes it doesn’t. Most people add an international plan to their account so they can text with their families.
Is it safe to travel to Haiti? There are inherent risks in all travel, but we strive to make the trip as safe as possible. There has been some civil unrest in parts of Port au Prince recently, which has affected some travel. We will monitor the situation, and we will reschedule the trip if it’s not safe to travel there.
Photos
Here’s a few pictures to give you an idea of what to expect on our trip.
View from the small plane of Port-de-Paix, Haiti.
Soccer game with the kids. Often times, the kids play barefoot and they still run faster and kick harder than the Americans.
Little girl in Na Byen with her VBS activity - the Armor of God.
Lisa’s teaching the street boys about business and entrepreneurship.
Jeff (left) sharing some laughs with Mr. Daniel. This is how relationships are formed.
Behind the scenes view of a photoshoot with the sewing students in Port-de-Paix.
Men’s Bible seminar.
Activities at Preskul, a small fishing village near Mole St. Nicolas.
Dusk on the campus of Northwest Haiti Christian Mission in Mole St. Nicolas.
Getting ready for a bonfire one the beach at Mole St. Nicolas.
Staff family bingo night on the NWHCM campus at the Mole. This is a multi-purpose building, and also where we’ll eat our meals.
Just outside the campus at the Mole. We’re walking downtown to do a community movie night.
Heading back to Mole St. Nicolas via boat from the Preskul fishing village.
View from the missionaries’ home in Port-de-Paix.
Soccer with the kids in Na Byen.
VBS in the village of Na Byen in Port-de-Paix.
Impromptu game of ring toss with some boys at the missionaries home in Port-de-Paix. Children often visit the missionaries’ home, and they like to play games with their guests.
Playing with some students at a local deaf school.
The kids love to jump rope, and they are so good at it!
Kapafu fishing village on outskirts of Mole St. Nicolas.
Dancing with the locals in one of the fishing villages near Mole St. Nicolas.
Sightseeing in Mole St. Nicolas.
Children’s sports camp on the NWHCM campus in Mole St. Nicolas.
An evening on the beach in Mole St. Nicolas.
Mole St. Nicolas is a beautiful place! Just look at that crystal clear turquoise water.
Waiting for the plane to land in Mole St. Nicolas. This is the landing strip.
Videos
These two videos show Port-de-Paix, Haiti. Both videos are a few years old, but much of the area looks the same.
The first video is with Larry and Diana Owen, the missionaries with Waves of Mercy. The second was filmed by Westmont College, which has entrepreneurship programs with Waves of Mercy.
Trip Application Form
Thank you for your interest! Our Director will follow-up with you once your form has been received.