Hesston College students return from Haiti
This past week, thousands of college students returned home from exotic resorts, relaxed, tanned and possibly sporting a new tattoo.
However, six Hesston College students returned home tired, appreciative and perhaps even a little thinner.
The students spent spring break on a missions trip to Haiti.
Two months ago, one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere was rocked by a 7.0 earthquake which shattered the already fragile island nation.
Kirsti Graffenberger said one of the most obvious elements of the situation in Haiti struck her the hardest. “This is a nation full of homeless people. There are tents everywhere. We put up one tent with cinderblocks and there were 12 people living in it,” she said.
Heidi Wiebe was also struck by the crowded conditions. “I knew when we got there we wouldn’t have a lot of personal space. But the traffic, it’s not like America at all. There are not organized streets. There would be one lane with people on each side selling stuff and somehow cars had to pass each other,” she said.
Mandy Kanagy was also taken back by the overly crowded conditions. “You look at how many people and tents were on one hillside, then you look at another hillside that’s filled with houses to where you couldn’t see the roads,” she said.
Wiebe interjected, “A lot of those houses are not livable. They’re cracked. I wouldn’t want to fathom how many people and houses were on that hillside.
Craig Buller’s thoughts turned to the matter of rebuilding. “I think a lot about all the time it will take to fix all the destruction. Just one hillside is so full of people and you see them working to just knock down houses. It’s going to take many years for these people,” he said.
Danielle Stauffer pointed out one of the major problems for the Haitian people working to rebuild. “There’s nowhere for the rubble to go. People move it out to the side of the road hoping the government will come take it away. But in the mean time it causes traffic jams,” she said.
However, Colton Troyer looked beyond the schematic problems of the nation. “The people are really thoughtful and funny. They like to joke around. I find it kind of ironic considering their situation. But it was fun to me,” he said.
The students said while the situation is grim, it is not without hope and moments of joy. “There was a man, Carly, he was not living in a house, his university was destroyed, and he has no job. But, he’s set up a food distribution and temporary housing center. People are taking care of each other and not just waiting for help,” said Graffenberger.
The students said they saw God’s hand at work. “There was a woman we met who didn’t have any milk for her baby. We brought down formula and diapers for the orphanage, but they were pretty well stocked, so we took the stuff up the hillside for other people,” said Stauffer.
“We found out that, the day before, a minister and friend of ours, Junior, had prayed with her for food for her baby. Then, here we come with formula and diapers. It just shows that God answers prayers,” she said.
The students not only experienced the changing power of their presents in the lives of others, but also said this trip changed their own view of themselves.
“I’m not a person that cries. I’m just not. But I bawled both days when we left the orphanage. I just found out I’m more empathetic than I thought,” said Wiebe.
For Stauffer, the revelation was simple. “It changed my perspective of what I need and what I want. People there have two changes of clothing, and I can go for a long time without re-wearing anything, so I don’t NEED a new shirt,” she said.
Graffenberger found a new appreciation for her education. “Junior had friends who died because they stayed behind to study. If you can read, you’re ahead of everyone else. They work so hard to study, and cherish the chance to go to university. I have it easy. I didn’t look at it as a privilege, it was just what everyone else was doing,” she said.
“It really solidified what I wanted to do. I chose it because I didn’t know what else to do. Now I’m excited to pursue it,” she said.
Troyer said, though he’s not interested in becoming a full-time missionary, he enjoyed his experience. “I think I would like to do more of these trips,” he said.
Buller said he already was aware of his capacity to lend aid and interest in helping others. “I like seeing peoples’ reactions when they are being helped. I like knowing I’m using my time in the right way, knowing I’m helping others and not just myself,” he said.