By Dale Minnich
The Church of the Brethren is offering a mission education trip to Haiti for persons interested in exploring and supporting the church’s Haiti development initiatives in partnership with Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti). The trip from July 19-23 can accommodate up to 45 participants who will join 5 members of the Haitian staff for the experience. It will be based in two small hotels about 50 miles north of Port au Prince.
Inspiration for the trip comes from McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren, which has mounted a promotion of water projects in Haiti, intending to raise $100,000 for this work by Easter of 2020. The McPherson Church and the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission and Service are co-sponsoring the event.
While in Haiti participants will take part in three field trips to visit programs of the Haiti Medical Project in action and to get the feel for life in service communities. Informational seminars, lively discussions, and cross-cultural worship round out the experience.
Twenty places are reserved for McPherson participants and 25 are available for people from the wider denomination. Participants (or a supporting congregation or organization) pay their own way, including the cost of the flight to Port au Prince and a fee likely in the range of $475 for on-site costs (hotels, meals, in-country transportation, translators, staff member expenses, etc.).
Since space is limited, interested persons are asked to contact Dale Minnich, volunteer staff for the Haiti Medical Project, for more information and, when ready, to make a deposit to hold a place for the trip. Minnich can be reached at dale@minnichnet.org or 620-480-9253.