CartHaiti Trip Winners Announced
For Immediate Release (March 2010)
Haiti Partners announced the six winners of their Win-a-Missions-Trip-to-Haiti contest. Each person will receive an all-expenses-paid, four-day missions trip to Haiti this May with InterVarsity Press author Kent Annan (Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously). Contestants submitted either a two- to three-minute video or a three hundred- to four hundred-word essay that answered the question: How are you personally challenged by Jesus' invitation to live more fully and love dangerously, and how could this trip be part of that? The winners are: Holly Drake (Virginia Beach, VA), Travis Dennis (Charlottesville, VA), Lindsay Bonilla (North Canton, OH), Jamie Arpin-Ricci (Winnipeg, MB), Jonathan Chan (Williamsburg, VA) and Mariana Valbuena (Pembroke Pines, FL).
Annan is codirector of Haiti Partners, a nonprofit organization focused on education in Haiti so that Haitians can improve their own situations—and children will grow up with better lives. His book, Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle, tells the story of his move to Haiti with his wife and weaves together the joys and stumbles of living and ministering in a Two-Thirds World environment with reflections about faith, doubt, love and God.
"It was really unpleasant saying 'no' to seventy of the people who thoughtfully responded," remarked Annan. "I was actually regretting the contest while going through that part of it! But then the great part was saying 'yes' to the 6 people who will be going with me to Haiti in May. They're all very impressive, and in different ways each of them revealed honesty, humility, and a sincere desire to both learn and help. The trip will be demanding and meaningful; Haiti is obviously still in crisis. They'll participate in Haiti Partners' response to the earthquake, which is continuing to focus on education—but our mission has expanded to include running temporary schools, rebuilding new schools/shelters, and launching a microfinance loan program through our church network. This trip, like my book, isn't about fixing everything—but about sincerely and seriously working hard to do our small part, while simultaneously being open to being changed ourselves. I'm thrilled that Holly, Travis, Lindsay, Jamie, Jonathan, and Mariana will be part of this."
Travel will take place May 20, 2010, through May 24, 2010, and will include time out in the town of Darbonne, near the earthquake's epicenter, where two Haiti Partners' schools collapsed and they've been focusing their earthquake response efforts. Participants will also meet with Haitian grass-roots, church, and business leaders. Information on the winners as well as their contest submissions can be found at ivpress.com/haititrip. InterVarsity Press will post pictures, videos and essays of the trip on their websites once the group has returned from Haiti. To view Kent's current speaking schedule visit kentannan.com.