Let’s Stay Longer - Gabby Linker

Hello everyone!               

As this mission trip comes to an end, the days feel as if they are getting shorter and our relationships are getting closer, making it harder and harder to think about saying goodbye. A lot of us have made connections and friendships with the Haitians in the villages, orphanages, and even among our fellow classmates. We all have been through so much together during this trip from being thrown up on and repeatedly asking them if they threw up on you to being peed on because someone got stung by a sea urchin. We have become annoyed with each other but as soon as someone asks if they can get some help there are 12 right by their side asking what they need help with. When we were at the airport that was our very first day of being a group and we all seemed very overwhelmed by the unconnected relationship between us all, but after 5 flights and 2 detours a connection was made. I am so grateful to have gone on such a big trip with people that have such great big hearts.

Relationships, along with service work (of course) have become a huge part of this trip for all of us. Some of us have found ways to make it easy to communicate with the people here when we return home which might make saying goodbye a little easier. The service work has also made saying goodbye hard in my eyes because as soon as I get home I will feel as if I should be here instead of there. That was one of my biggest hardships about leaving the last time I was in Haiti. After being here and constantly doing work and playing with the children who just want all the love in the world every day, it makes it difficult to be at home and know that there are children not only here in Haiti but all over the world that want love and affection from someone.

The first time I was in Haiti I was just a little freshman and did not really take in everything that was going on around me. Now that I am going to be a senior and this is my second time here, I am more emotionally attached to the people and the work we are doing every day.