Click here to read the article from the November 23rd edition of USA Weekend. Thanks for all you do, Diane!

A truck filled to the brim with people, cargo, and several chickens travels down a dirt road in Ethiopia. There, as in Haiti, trucks are a common mode of public transportation. Joel Carillet / iStock Editorial

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

By Janeil Owen, Executive Director

What do you see in the picture above? Craziness? Adventure? Danger? Culture?

At Northwest Haiti Christian Mission, we see a blending of culture and adventure as part of the journey to minister in the northwest zone of Haiti.

Although we don’t normally travel like this, we do have several new options for you to choose from for your next trip to Haiti. Because let’s face it, travel into Haiti is always an adventure, whether you’re headed to “The Mole” or Saint-Louis Du Nord, NWHCM’s main campus. But we want to make sure the adventure is the best possible fit for you.

You are an important part of NWHCM!
We see your role as vital to the long-term goals of the mission. The challenge of reaching 120 communities for Christ through the “Neighbors Projects” as well as being the hands and feet of Jesus to the poor, the orphaned, the widowed, the imprisoned and the lost will not happen without you. Together we RESCUE, RESTORE and REDEEM!

Over the last few months, as you know, the cost of fuel has gone up significantly. This unfortunately also affects the cost of ministry in Haiti. The costs of shipping things in-country, powering the generators, as well as the cost of actually getting to the mission have all increased.

With this in mind, we have been reviewing the options for travel and have developed several package options for you to choose from, making travel as affordable as possible. These options cover a variety of ways for you to arrive at the mission and continue your role in Haiti.

Package 1: The Weekend Warrior

This package includes up to five nights on campus. It is perfect for those of you that need a Haiti fix, have just a few extra vacation days to use, or want to spend your spring break with us.

• Option A: Adventure Package

This is a great roundtrip way to travel to St. Louis du Nord, via bus or Land Rover. Note: We are working to be able to replace our buses with Land Rovers, we will have our first two very soon. This 6-hour ride across the beautiful and startling countryside of Haiti is worth the time to experience fully the land and people where we serve. You will experience first hand the beautiful mountain views, the valleys, vistas, desert and lush forest, as you drive across the changing terrains that make up Haiti.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $765*
This includes all accommodations, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

• Option B: High/Low Combo Package

This option combines the best of both worlds. It gives you the ability to fly one way on Tortuga Air, viewing Haiti’s beautiful mountains from 6,000 ft and then the ride of your life in the bus/car for your cross-country Haiti experience.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $855 *
This includes all accommodation, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

• Option C: Deluxe Traveler Package

This option gives you the fastest route to the Northwest, but misses the cross-country adventure. You will fly both directions on Tortuga Air, where you will land and travel by vehicle to one of our mission campuses. Please note that if you choose this option you may have to overnight in Miami or Port-au-Prince to make your connecting flights. Tortuga Air is an independent company, as such we are at the mercy of their scheduling.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $930*
This includes all accommodation, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

*Please note there will be an extra $100 fee if your return flight to the U.S. requires an overnight hotel stay in Port-au-Prince.

Package 2: The Impact Classic

This package includes up to 10 nights in the Northwest. It is perfect for those of you that are coming with a mission project in mind, whether as part of a surgery team, the Neighbors’ Project, or any number of other ministry opportunities that are available to you.

• Option A: Adventure Package

This is a great way to travel to Saint-Louis du Nord, via bus or Land Rover. Note: We are working to be able to replace our buses with Land Rovers, we will have our first two very soon. This six-hour ride across the beautiful and startling countryside of Haiti is worth the time to experience fully the land and people where we serve. You will experience first-hand the beautiful mountain views, the valleys, vistas, desert and lush forest, as you drive across the changing terrains that make up Haiti.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $1070*
This includes all accommodation, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

• Option B: High/Low Combo Package

This option combines the best of both worlds. It gives you the ability to fly one way on Tortuga Air viewing Haiti’s beautiful mountains from 6,000 ft and then the ride of your life in the bus/car for your cross-country Haiti experience.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $1160*
This includes all internal accommodation, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

• Option C: Deluxe Traveler Package

This option gives you the fastest route to the Northwest, but misses the cross-country adventure. You will fly both directions on Tortuga Air, where you will land and travel by vehicle to one of our mission campuses. Please note, that if you choose this option you may have to overnight in Miami or Port-au-Prince to make your connecting flights. Tortuga Air is an independent company, as such we are at the mercy of their scheduling.

Price: Plane ticket to Haiti, plus $1260*
This includes all internal accommodation, three meals a day, travel expenses in the northwest zone, translators and security.

*Please note there will be an extra $100 fee if your return flight to the U.S. requires an overnight hotel stay in Port-au-Prince.

NWHCM Executive Director Janeil Owen, Larry’s son, and missionary Jody Castillo, Larry’s daughter, are in Kentucky at this time to provide support, along with their families.

Alongside his wife, Diana, Larry led NWHCM for more than 20 years. NWHCM was pleased to invite Larry to return to the mission to oversee the largest construction project that NWHCM has ever undertaken, a four-story addition to our campus in Saint-Louis du Nord.

The second event, a triathlon called “Tri the Farm,” will be held on May 7 to support various projects in Mole St. Nicholas and surrounding areas, including clean water projects and efforts to repair fishing boats that were destroyed during tropical storms in 2010.

All events will be held at The Farm at Morgan Lakes, a community in Pooler, GA, near Savannah. This will be the second “Tri the Farm” event organized by Savannah FCA Endurance. In May 2010, the group raised funds to help build a cistern for clean drinking water in the fishing village of Karenage, near Mole St. Nicholas.

Learn more by visiting the FCA Endurance website, www.fcasave.com.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Tim Shaw distributes shoes during his mission trip with NWHCM.
Photo by Paul Del Valley / NWHCM staff

By Tresa Halbrooks, TitansOnline.com

February 24, 2011

Nashville, Tenn. — The off-season allows time for players to recharge their batteries, spend time with family, take a much needed vacation and give back to their communities. Tennessee Titans players Pete Ittersagen and Tim Shaw are doing just that by lending a hand to Haitians in need during a mission trip to Haiti February 19 – 28.

Along with six other volunteers, Ittersagen and Shaw have joined Northwest Haiti Christian Mission for a mission trip including a variety of duties such as construction, community development, well drilling, preaching, teaching, relational evangelism and medical assistance.

Just over a year ago in January 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0-magnitude catastrophic earthquake near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. The Haitian government reported an estimated 316,000 people died, 300,000 were injured and over 1,000,000 others lost their homes. It’s also been estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged due to the disaster.

“We are going on this trip to serve the people of Haiti and to be a light that reflects Christ’s love for us,” Ittersagen said. “As folIowers of Christ, we are passionate about making a difference and spreading the good news about Jesus that has changed our lives. It excites us to help the people in whatever way possible and be a blessing to a country that has been through a lot and is in so much need.”

Every year, more than 1,000 volunteers from North America serve on short-term trips through NWHCM, which leads groups and individuals of any age and background from churches, businesses, schools, or community associations on short-term trips 10 months of the year.

Ittersagen was informed of the NWHCM mission trip opportunity by his friend, NWHCM missionary Grant Roskowiak. Once he realized this was something he wanted to be a part of, he began to assemble the team that would travel to Haiti, which included Shaw.

In April of 2010, Indianapolis Colts receiver Pierre Garçon also traveled to Haiti in partnership with NWHCM. His foundation, the Pierre Garçon Helping Hands Foundation, supported relief work in the Port-au-Prince area and in Northwest Haiti in response to the earthquake.

Follow updates on the Titans’ trip at www.titansonline.com.

February 24, 2011 — American Airlines has announced it will begin charging $30 for a second checked bag each way for trips to Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Passengers may still check one bag at no charge traveling both to and from Haiti.

The charges will take effect for any tickets purchased after February 10. Tickets purchased prior to February 10, even if for trip dates later this year, will not incur the charges.

NWHCM advises travelers to plan their trips accordingly be prepared to cover all baggage charges upon airport check-in. Questions? Please contact us, we would be glad to help.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 – TwitChange, a Northwest Haiti Christian Mission partner ministry, has won the 2010 Mashable Award for Most Creative Social Good Campaign. The award, announced at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, recognizes innovation in using social media to make a difference in the world.

The brainchild of Atlanta pastor and NWHCM staffer Shaun King, TwitChange utilizes Twitter to allow fans to bid on the chance to have a celebrity mention, follow, or retweet them online. The proceeds from TwitChange’s initial auction last year — more than half a million dollars — benefitted NWHCM’s expansion of the Miriam Center in Bonneau, Haiti. More than 175 celebrities participated in the first auction.

Mashable, a leading online source for news about social and digital media, chooses the winners for its awards based on votes from its readers. Mashable CEO Pete Cashmore noted that the very leverage TwitChange uses for charity in the Twitter marketplace was the same leverage that earned it enough votes for the award.

TwitChange will launch its next celebrity Twitter auction in late January.

Click here to read the article.

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Click here to read more about their partnership with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.