Author Robin Moore said, “Inside each of us is a natural born story-teller, waiting to be released.” A picture may be “worth a thousand words,” producing raw emotion in the viewer but do not be fooled – it is the words of a carefully crafted story that shape those emotions, spurring him to action. Laura Nicholson, MH4H’s Executive Assistant, recently accompanied a short term missions team to Haiti with the goal of navigating the team through IMPACT. IMPACT, which stands for Immersive Missions with Personal Actions, Challenges and Transformation, guides the team through stepping stones designed to help them process a new environment and their own reactions to it. Each member is encouraged to build his or her unique story around the trip in Haiti to be shared with friends back home. Keep reading to learn more about IMPACT!

 

I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of this trip as a new employee of Many Hands and pilot a new short-term trip project that we have been working on. IMPACT, Immersive Missions with Personal Actions, Challenges and Transformation, is a way for team participants to delve deeper into their experiences throughout the trip. From my first trip, I knew that Many Hands for Haiti was special because of how they pour into their short-term trips. Many Hands strives to create a short-term mission trip experience that introduces you to the work God is doing, while promoting life-transformation in Christ.

The goal behind IMPACT is to provide participants with something that could help them formulate their thoughts so that when they return home, they will be able to respond to the seemingly never-ending question; “How was your trip?” I remember being asked that same question over-and-over after my first trip and just being at a loss for words. All the things that one experiences while in Haiti can be a lot for anyone, even those that have been numerous times. So, it was important for us at Many Hands to equip team members with something that could help them process all they have seen and return home with a clearer understanding of what impacted them.

Although this trip was a time to pilot IMPACT, the discussions that arose from the booklet reiterated to me that this is something worth pursuing. Many Hands made an impact on me during just my first trip, leading to three more trips, an internship, and now the opportunity to work for them. The Des Moines group was so open-minded and eager to help pilot this project, going above and beyond my expectations. I could not be more thankful for the opportunity Many Hands for Haiti has provided me and I am eager to be a part of IMPACT, leading teams to a deeper understanding of serving God in Haiti.