Four girls from Grand View University have a driving passion for helping, healing, and caring. These nursing students have traveled to Pignon, Haiti opening themselves up to new experiences. During their time here, the team will learn to recognize love revealed in and around them in a new light. It’s their same burning passion displayed in a different context. Keep reading to see how their journey has started.

Hello friends and family!! (Bonswa mwen zanmi yo)

We have arrived safely in Haiti after a very long plane ride! We were so grateful to be greeted by everyone once we had finally arrived. After getting some lunch and settling in we went into town for an afternoon in Pignon. As we went into town, we were amazed at what we saw and experienced. It was oddly fascinating as everywhere we looked there were people going about their daily lives. Such as: ladies doing laundry, people selling sugar cane, people fixing their motors on the side of the road, and observing the goats, and donekys everywhere. ( Used for hauling supplies.)

The first thing we did in town was visited a friend of Liz, and Christi’s, who they have been seeing for a few months. They lovingly call him Lep, as it looks like he has leprosy but he actually has Psoriasis. It is a very severe case. He was finally able to get medical attention. They gave a specific cream, and he has shown great improvement in his condition. While we were speaking with Lep, his daughter mentioned how they wished they could have some gloves to apply the cream on him. When we overheard this comment Katelyn realized that she had extra gloves packed in her bag. We were so happy that we were able to bless Lep with these gloves.

After leaving Lep’s house we went into the market.There we were able to interact with the Haitians as we walked through the market. They took the time and had the patience to teach us some Creole. It was very overwhelming at first but they were so helpful and kind in their teaching. By the time we left the market we had learned many small phrases already.

While we were at the market we made a new friend named Robinson. When we were leaving, his young daughter saw us and ended up tripping while trying to catch up with us. Being four caring-hearted nursing students, we wanted to make sure she was okay and felt cared for. She had two little scrapes on her knees. We cleaned up her cuts and put a bandaid on it. Something that we felt was so small, meant the world to her. Something so simple, that we don’t even hesitate in the United States, can be so easily taken for granted. After our first day here we have already learned that the difference between life and death in Haiti can be as simple as Neosporin and a bandaid.

By, Katelyn Kime, Maddie Brewer, Kelsie Walsh, and Krystal Bellis