by: Tony Nichols
In March of 2011 I will be leaving for Cap-Haitien, Haiti with a team from Joplin, MO, Colorado, and Kansas (that's me)! The team is led by Kurt and Delberta Fluharty from Ozark Christian College. This will be my fourth time going to Haiti but I always expect a new adventure each time I go. This is one of the worst situations that Haiti has gone through. My heart goes out for these people. They are still suffering from the earthquake that killed around 100,000 people a year ago. Now they are experiencing a Cholera epidemic, which has caused over 2100 casualties and has made about 100,000 Haitians ill. These catastrophic events in the last year is like kicking someone when they are down. Haiti was already one of the poorest countries in the world before, now they are suffering even more. As a result of these traumatic events, it's my prayer that Haiti will have more exposure to the world and more people will want to love, help, educate, and encourage them to live a more godly and fruitful life.
On March 18th, we plan on flying out of Springfield, MO airport for Ft. Lauderdale and then the next day we're flying to Cap-Haitian, Haiti. Building benches and hosting a revival are the main missions of what that the leaders have planned. The trip also includes teaching opportunities with the school children, calling on the sick, baptizing, team devotions, presenting gifts, attend church services in Cap-Haitian and Saint Raphael, and a lot of driving time on the top-top (bus). The benches that are built in Haiti provide seating for the kids at the schools and for the worship area in the churches. I love attending the worship services in Haiti! This is one of the highlights of the trip. Some of the congregants in Haiti have to walk for an hour with no shoes and no food in their stomachs to attend church so it's an honor to provide seating for them. In America we have the most unnecessary complaints compared to the trials that our brothers and sisters in Haiti have to face day-to-day. However, the trials do not dampen the Haitians worship experience; they are high spirited and united in song and rythm. I thoroughly enjoy jumping and singing while praising our Lord with the Haitians. 
Baptizing sixteen new Christians, making over seven-hundred peanut butter sandwiches, building twenty-two benches, and traveling 2600 miles round trip in a church van with ten members are some of the highlights of previous trips.
I would like for you to pray for this upcoming trip evangelistic efforts, spiritual healing, discipleship, and safety). If you would like to donate items (soap, crackers, or medicine) please let me know. If you would like to help monetarily with the benches, trip cost, food or medicine for Haitians, it would be appreciated. You can contact me by responding to this blog, email me at tonyjnichols@gmail.com or dial (620) 778-5802 if you would like further details about the trip. Please send all gifts to: 18 N. Oregon St. Oswego, KS 67356. Keep the Haitians in your prayers! "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).
In Christ,
Tony Nichols
