Team Haiti June 23 – July 5, 2018

Welcome to the possibility of joining the twelfth team to be sent to Haiti by the Youth Committee of the Presbytery of Southern California. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve alongside very capable OPC missionaries.

The Gospel Need This beautiful Caribbean island, once claimed for Christ by early European explorers, is today plagued by poverty, illiteracy, and disease. The ravages of earthquakes and storms are exacerbated by the sinfulness of men who in various ways suppress the truth about God in unrighteousness. Above all else, the people of Haiti need the life-giving, transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Missionaries Ben and Heather Hopp and their four children have been serving in Haiti since 2007. Working with local church leaders, Rev. Hopp’s goal is to assist in the formation of a Presbyterian and Reformed church in Haiti.

The Work Team members will fly to Fort Lauderdale on June 23 and spend time together before heading to Haiti. They will worship at Holy Trinity OPC on June 24 before flying to the capital of Port-au-Prince on June 25. The next day the team will accompany the Hopps to the island of Lagonav, off the coast of Haiti, where the OPC is actively working with a number of churches. After setting up base at the OPC’s “Guest House,” the team will conduct mini VBS programs with three churches. The teaching program is based on Reformed catechetical instruction in the Creole language with the assistance of translators. Rev. Hopp believes that the spread of the gospel in Haiti will be more effective if it is also taught to the rising generation. Thus it is our prayer that the work of TEAM HAITI will be vital to the ministry of our missionaries in Haiti. The team will also have the opportunity to assist in various other work projects. The Team Leaders Pastor Charlie Perkins of Prescott OPC in Prescott, Arizona, will lead this team. He will be ably assisted by Rosie Perkins who has been on six previous Team Haiti trips.

The Qualifications Team members must be communicant church members (minimum age 18). Valuable assets include teaching and musical gifts, a desire to share your faith in Christ, and an ability to organize and participate in sports, games, and crafts. Friendly cooperation with others and submission to team leadership are essential. Good health is important, too, as this trip involves rugged, dusty travel.

The Cost $1,350 plus the cost of purchasing your own airfare to and from Fort Lauderdale.

The Application Ask your pastor or elder to provide a brief recommendation. Also, the attached application must be received by David Thibault at [email protected] or mailed to 2131 Pound Dr., Placentia, CA 92870, no later than February 24, 2018. TEAM HAITI 2018 Application (Please feel free to type your answers onto the application without concern for changes in the formatting.) PERSONAL DATA Name: ______Date of Birth: ______Mailing Address: ______Email Address: ______Phone #: ______T-Shirt size: ______Emergency Contact’s Name: ______Relationship to you: ______Phone: ______Email Address: ______Do you have a passport? ______If so, write your name exactly as it appears on the passport: ______Passport # ______Passport Expiration Date:______If not, what is the name that you will use on your passport: ______It might be good for you to consider starting the process of obtaining a passport by going to : http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_832.html EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE Where did/do you attend school/college/post-grad? ______Grade Level: ______Work Experience: ______CHURCH Name and location of the church where you are a Communicant Member: ______PASTORAL REFERENCE Email and phone number of your pastor or a ruling elder who knows you well and is supplying a reference: ______Your pastoral reference must be emailed or mailed by your pastor or elder at the same time as your application to [email protected] or 2131 Pound Dr., Placentia, CA 92870. PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BRIEFLY:

1. Are your parents supportive of your participation with TEAM HAITI? ______2. What are your reasons for wanting to be part of TEAM HAITI? ______3. Please describe what it means to you to have Jesus as your Lord and Savior. ______4. Please list ways in which you have served in your local church. ______5. Sharing your faith will be an important part of the TEAM HAITI experience. Have you had opportunities to witness to non-Christians? ______If “yes”, describe briefly. If “not yet”, are you willing to prepare to share your faith while serving with the Team? ______

6. List skills you have that you think might be helpful to TEAM HAITI (teaching children, sports, singing, musical instruments, arts & crafts, etc.) ______7. Describe any cross-cultural exposure or missions team experience you have had (overseas or in the US) ______8. Do you have any physical or medical conditions about which we should know? If so, please describe below. ______9. Do you have any food allergies? ______If yes, please list below. ______10. TEAM HAITI will require very rough riding. Do you have any back problems? ______11. TEAM HAITI cost is $1,350. This does not include the cost of processing a passport if you do not have one, the cost for medical shots as needed, the cost for airfare to and from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the cost for purchasing souvenirs. Is your Session willing to encourage your church to financially support you in this ministry? ______12. If you receive no financial assistance from your church, are you and your family able to pay for all your trip costs? ______13. Haiti is sometimes an uncertain part of the world. Do you agree to abide by any precautions that the missionaries and team leaders deem necessary while traveling with the team? ______

TIMELINE:  Application Due: February 24, 2018 Do not delay in sending in your application.  Team Chosen & Notified: March 1, 2018.  Team Confirmed: Please confirm that you are going on the mission’s trip by March 2, 2018.  First payment of $650 is due March 15, 2018. This payment will be used to purchase tickets from Fort Lauderdale to Haiti and will NOT be refunded should a team member back out.  Purchase of tickets to Fort Lauderdale by each individual team member by April 15, 2018.  Second payment of $650 is due May 15, 2018.  Final payment for gifts and supplies for the Hopps estimated at $50 to be brought to Fort Lauderdale.  Team members will also need to see their doctor before going to Haiti in order to receive necessary shots to avoid illness while there. Details will be forthcoming to those who are selected.

Application signature: I have read payment timeline and agree to meet each payment date to the best of my ability.

Signed: ______(If emailed typed signature is fine)