Page 17 - Nac & SFA February 2015

HELPING

HAITI By Kasi Dickerson Photos Courtesy Of Zak Tharp
One Student’s Experience Serving Overseas

WITH A BURST OF ENERGY, he kicks the been teams before us and there will be teams after us
soccer ball across the grass. Kids with smiling faces who are investing in this community and Haiti.”
emerge in an attempt to run the drill. After a couple For a week, Tharp worked alongside his team members
of kicks back and forth, they have f nally mastered the as they visited various places in Haiti including the
skill and a victory celebration erupts. He watches as capital, Port-au-Prince, Merger (a place in the moun-
a simple soccer camp somewhere in the mountains of tains) and a village, Archia. Tharp explained how the
Haiti impacts a group of orphan children. group set up a sort of Vacation Bible School to engage
Recently, Zak Tharp, Stephen F. Austin State kids. They also had a soccer camp in Merger, passed
University senior, bought his f rst plane ticket out of out Christmas presents and gave a gospel presentation.
the country for a week-long mission trip in Haiti with “The kids kept asking for the soccer ball because they
Fredonia Hill Baptist Church. never had one,” Tharp said. “It was very inspiring to
Tharp’s f rst day in Haiti was sprinkled with culture be able to give these kids a Christmas present and see
shock as he experienced the impoverished nation. their faces light up.”
“It was a bit shocking and eye-opening just to see Because of the age range, the group was able to deliver
the amount of poverty,” Tharp said. “It’s a different an impact across generations, Tharp said.
world. It’s heartbreaking seeing people who live with A two-hour bus drive brought the group to Archia
basically nothing.” where they delivered a check for the village to build
Tharp traveled with a team from Nacogdoches to a new well.
work with an orphanage in Thomassin, Haiti, which While the language barrier proved to be somewhat of
Dr. Jacob Bernard started as part of his ministry. The an obstacle, Tharp was surprised by the interpreters’
church’s relationship with the orphanage is one of desire for change in their home country. Tharp remem-
the reasons Tharp decided to go on this mission. The bered one man in particular who came to the U.S. for
church has been helping this orphanage for two and a an education and returned to Haiti as a change maker.
half years and has committed to f ve years of service,
according to Tharp. “That’s what they need…people from [Haiti] to be
change makers,” Tharp said. “It was real cool to see
“I was real inspired by our church’s long standing and inspiring.”
relationship with Bernard in Haiti,” Tharp said. “[We
were] not just one team in this moment. There have Tharp’s experience taught him many things.
“They worship the same God we do. The way we
practice may not be the same because of some cultural
difference, but we are bonded together as one through
Christ,” Tharp said. “We don’t have to be intentional
with kids, sometimes they just need a hug or for you to
kick a ball with them.”

FEBRUARY 2015 17