Student Moving to Haiti for Mission Work

Students from Monte Vista Christian usually go on the school mission trips to help others, build new relationships, and come back with life changing experiences. This was definitely the case for sophomore Leah Hamilton, whose experiences on the Haiti trip have encouraged her to actually move to the Caribbean country.

Hamilton traveled to Haiti for the first time this past Jan term. On the trip, Hamilton was affected by meeting the people and learning their stories and culture. She had a hard time leaving after having made such strong connections. Once Hamilton was back home she couldn’t stop thinking about her time in Haiti. So Hamilton and her family started contacting their close friends in Haiti, Mike and Amy Rivas, former teachers and coaches at MVC.

“A week wasn’t enough time,” Hamilton said. “I never wanted to leave in the first place. I knew I wanted to spend a semester there.”

Hamilton considered going back to Haiti after she graduates high school, but she decided she couldn’t wait that long. She’s going back for five months at the beginning of the next school year. Hamilton has no worries or concerns about the transition because she’s already spent time there. However, her mother, Laura Hamilton, isn’t letting her daughter go without any worries.

“My biggest worry is her getting sick,” Laura Hamilton said. “I’m not worried about anything else because anything else that can happen there can happen here.”

Despite Laura’s concern, she is excited for her daughter to experience living in another country and gain more life experience. She also looks forward to her daughter growing spiritually during her time away.

“I still can’t believe she’s leaving,” Leah Hamilton’s brother, Andrew Hamilton said. “I’m proud of her, but I’m going to miss her.”

Hamilton will be attending Quisqueya Christian School in Port- Au- Prince early this August. She will be living and doing mission work with the Rivas family, whose children Zach and Taylor attended MVC before moving to Haiti last summer.

This is something Hamilton has been thinking about for a while now, but she is not looking forward to saying goodbye to her family and friends. However, Hamilton’s friends and family have made this easier by being supportive of her following this new dream.

“I’m excited to see what’s waiting for me in Haiti,” Hamilton said.