Alternative Spring Break

Due to safety concerns – and logistics – large group visits to the Have Faith Haiti Mission is a rare occurrence. But we were so glad to welcome a group of fifteen students from Springfield College, in Massachusetts, for an alternative spring break on a service trip in Haiti.

Choosing Port-au-Prince over Puerto Vallarta, students led by junior Kristen Madeia, senior Jordan Pelletier, and President Mary-Beth Cooper spent time learning, reading and playing with the kids of the Mission while also working on a painting project. Madeia told The Springfield Student (newspaper), “It completely changes your perspective on the privileges we have being American and growing up in this country, specifically thinking of children …We don’t necessarily take advantage of our education and value it as much as children in Haiti do. It’s interesting how the children down there really value what they are learning. They are so excited to go to school and to tell you what they are learning in comparison to kids here, who dread going to school every day and don’t take their education seriously.”

Choosing the Have Faith Haiti Mission as a destination was inspired by Mitch Albom’s talk at the college’s 4th Annual Arts and Humanities Speaker Series in October 2017.

A special thank you to Paul Schnaittacher, who provided the lovely photos.