Haiti - by Monica

Read original article I'm leaving to go to Haiti today to help the group God's Chosen One Ministry build an orphanage. Beyond Lingering Problems in Haiti, Progress and Vision Spark Hope

I am both excited and nervous, but I hope this trip with change me. There are so many things in life that we take for granted that many other parts of the world do not have. There is so much money that has been donated to Haiti by America that they have not yet received. And we felt like, the only way to ensure that our help is truly received is to go their ourselves.

I found some happy news as it relates to Haiti. Tamara Apollon, president of Mon Pays Mon Cuisine, is looking to open markets in America selling Haitian-based products such as mango juice, squash puree and dried fruits. The products support a community cooperative of 300 women fruit growers in Lascoabas, about 90 minutes from Port au Prince (where we will be going).

This task is one of many supported by the group Sustainable Haiti Coalition, an organization that wants to transform Haiti through vision, leadership and collective action. “We want to look a century out at what Haiti might become — a model of ecological restoration, cultural integrity, and shared prosperity — and then work back to the decisions that need to happen now to create that future,” says Coalition co-founder Jonathan Cloud.

I am so happy that we get to be a part of this vision, helping in a small way to get Haiti back on its feet.