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Tim Sweeney's Mission: Haiti Volunteer Service Trip

Apr 11

Written by: Neil E. Traveler
Monday, April 11, 2011 12:04 PM

Tim smiles with Haitian orphans he met during his
volunteer service trip through MWTS Mission: Haiti

Tim came back from his service trip in Haiti “feeling recharged,” and “appreciative.” Listening to him describe the experiences he had and the connections he made with the Haitian people, especially the children of the orphanage and surrounding village, made me eager to get involved in a service project of my own. His stories were both touching and inspirational. I commend his selflessness in generosity of his time to help build this community and better the lives of these children in need. You can follow Tim’s story through pictures in his Mission: Haiti photo album on Facebook.

The majority of tasks Tim performed involved physical labor of some kind. Tim and fourteen volunteers spent a day and half clearing debris and rubble from a field on the property so that the children had a safe place to play soccer. Volunteers spent eight hours collecting piles of river rock for the construction team to collect and use in the building projects (in addition to the orphanage that was completed in 2009, Mission: Haiti is building a school, a small chapel and outdoor bathroom facilities on the property). He also helped repair roads outside the property by filling in deep grooves with some of the debris from the fields, helping to smooth out the roadway and improve driving conditions.

But one of the most poignant moments for Tim was when the children of the small village, eager to help, walked with Tim, their hands placed on the wheelbarrow, as he transported dirt from the property. After emptying the dirt they all jumped in and Tim wheeled them back. “This summarized exactly what I wanted to accomplish on my trip to Haiti: Help out with building the community, but also connect with the children. I feel like I brought back ten times more than I gave.”

“This trip changed my life. I met some of the nicest people in the world while I was in Haiti. I was blown away by their spirit and their generosity. I’ve always enjoyed volunteering, but when I returned home, I was left asking myself ‘What else can I do?’ I think the next step in this journey is to get my children involved in some kind of service work. I think it’s extremely important for us to give back, not only to help others, but also to gain perspective on the world around us. I look forward to sharing these experiences with my kids. I will never forget the people I met and the connections I made while in Haiti. It was an unbelievable, life-changing opportunity.”

Categories:Service Learning

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Tim Sweeney's Mission: Haiti Volunteer Service Trip

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