One of the most practical ways we serve the church in Haiti is through short-term ministry trips. Teams from our US partner churches come to serve and encourage the church in Haiti in a variety of ways, and it’s always a refreshing time for those involved. Today, we’re sharing some reflections from our recent trip.

This January, we sent our first 2026 volunteer team to Haiti. Today, we asked Bill, our team leader, to share a little about the trip.

This trip was a blessing from start to finish. After so many months in flux, it was nice to see the kids reestablishing a normal routine and getting back into the flow of life. They’ve resumed regular church ministry, they’re reading their Bibles consistently, and they’re back in school. The kids are truly thriving.

When we went to Haiti last year, the kids had a lot of free time on their hands. Now, it’s like they jumped right back in. They’re so excited school has started again, and we were constantly catching them doing schoolwork throughout the trip. They’re all trying to get caught up and are helping each other do it. The older ones work with the younger ones in the morning, and I’d see them doing devotionals outside before school started as well.

I think our biggest challenge as Americans on short-term trips is stepping out of our comfort zone. It’s good to die to ourselves on these trips and realize it’s really not about us. It’s about getting the place back up for the kids, finishing electrical work, encouraging our ministry partners after a difficult couple of years, and so much more. Since so many people have moved up north, supplies have been hard to get, but challenges like that just force you to get creative. It’s a real opportunity to learn flexibility—being willing to lower our expectations and do whatever it takes to see the job through.

At the end of the day, though, it’s not just about the work. It’s also about the relationship with the kids, and I think it brings some sense of normalcy for them when we send teams. The kids were used to having teams come almost monthly, and that kind of got pulled out from under them for a while. I think it brings them comfort when they see us down there, and it’s a blessing to see them encouraged.

For information about joining an outreach team, visit Support Us.