Global Mustard Seed Missions Inc.

Last time I was there, early in 2011, my second postquake trip, it was disheartening to witness over 120 orphans go without food and regular meals. In delivering gifts donated from America to these children, I failed to realize that toys and educational tools were not a priority. These children have lost their parents in the devastating earthquake just a year prior, and are now forced to struggle with just meeting their basic needs for food, clean water, shelter and access to hygiene products. These unmet needs perpetuate the multiple physical ailments and untreated diseases that afflict these children.

Presented with the opportunity to make just a small difference in addressing these challenges was a humbling and enlightening experience. This entailed a trip to the weekly downtown market, swarming with countless Haitians all working hard to sell whatever they could obtain to make a living. After negotiating the local rates just to get a supply of basic food for the orphans, it still was no where near enough to extend beyond meeting short term needs. Buying enough medications at the local pharmacy to man a mobile clinic, by a group of American medical volunteers, only helped temporarily. The needs continue to remain vast and unmet. There were daily unanticipated obstacles faced in providing direct care to patients, most cycling around a lack of food, medicines and basic hygiene resources.