HC faculty members gain new perspective through Haiti trip

This past summer, two HC staff members traveled to the Caribbean island nation of Haiti at the same time, but for different reasons.

HC math teacher Mike Haake went to serve Haiti’s deaf community through NorthWest Haiti Deaf Ministries. Haake currently travels to Haiti once a year, but would like to go two or three times a year in the future.

“My first visit was to go meet my son,” Haake said, “So that [visit] ranks ahead of all of them.”

In 2007, Haake and his wife adopted a six-year-old child from Haiti. His son, who is deaf, has certainly impacted Haake’s calling to make an impact on the country.

“People in Haiti are amazing,” Haake said. “They are very very strong, and the attitude that many of them have and the faith that many of them have in spite of the many challenges and obstacles that they go through every day is motivating.”

It is the attitude and strong character of these people despite their situation that motivates Haake to reach out and help.

“There are people over there that I just admire so much,” Haake said. “I want to give people like them that opportunity to succeed.”

With a decade of serving the deaf community in Haiti under his belt, many admire Haake’s attitude and determination.

“Our school is the only [deaf] school within hours,” Haake said. “If kids don’t live really close to our school then they can’t go to school.”

Some of the deaf students walk for an hour or two in order to attend school each day.

“We’re working on building a dorm for our students to stay in,”Haake said. “We will [also] be able to take in more students.”

Haake has even founded a nonprofit to further aid the community. His nonprofit, Northwest Haiti Deaf Ministries, helps him keep in touch with his second home when he is not there.

“I feel like all the students and the deaf adults in the community are my friends,” Haake said. “It’s a hard thing to be away from them. I miss being around them and the memories we’ve built together.”

HC Associate Principal Brady Thornton was in Haiti at the same time as Haake, but not in the same location.

“I went with a group from Southland,” Thornton said. “and we worked with an organization called Haiti Lifeline Ministries.”

Through Lifeline, Thornton and others built  houses, worked with kids at the local school and clinic, and gave out food and clothing to the community.

“It was a valuable experience,” Thornton said. “It was very eye-opening to visit a third world country.”

Both would recommend the experience of doing mission work in Haiti, but only to specific people.

“It takes a pretty mature person that is able to put other people above themselves and put other people’s needs above their own needs,” Haake said.

Both men claim mission trips like these can be draining, both physically and emotionally, but they can also be some of the most rewarding experiences.

“To know that you’re being a blessing to these people,” Hakke said is great. “But also I’ve found on trips like this that those people are more of a blessing to me.”

Hakke is looking into taking a group to Haiti this spring or summer. If interested, please contact Hakke in room 136.