DoingSomethingInHaitiThatWillLast

Introducing Summer 2017 Interns!

We are excited to announce our Summer 2017 Interns: Larissa Blevins, Hannah Galehouse, Andrea Larson, and Lizzy Smith!

This great group of students is raising support for their summer of service, looking forward to the spring Intern Retreat, studying our Team Leader Guide, and reading some recommended resources to prepare them for one of the most difficult and rewarding summers of their life.

We want our 2017 summer teams to get to know our interns and come to Haiti ready to serve with them! We’ve asked them to introduce themselves to you and share a couple of photos. Teams: take special note of their favorite snacks and which one you’ll want to find if there is a spider to be killed!

Larissa Blevins
Hey y’all! I am from Bluefield, Virginia, and I am a sophomore at Johnson University double-majoring in Elementary Education and Bible. I can usually be found at the nearest Chick-fil-a or Krispy Kreme. Ever since my first trip in 2014 with Haitian Christian Outreach, I have come to love this organization and its mission. HCO’s example of loving and serving God and others has inspired me even more to be an example of that myself. I learned on my second trip this past summer how important it is to build and continue to build relationships with people, whether it is with our Haitian friends or other team members. It is interesting how each trip has provided a new and different experience or outlook – I expect this summer to do that and so much more.

On both of our trips, we took the interns their favorite snacks (*cough, cough*). I love goldfish crackers!

One of my favorite adventures in Haiti is going on tarantula hunts to see who could find the biggest one. So if the time comes that a tarantula is chasing you…have no fear, Larissa is here!

I always enjoyed getting to talk and spend time with the interns, and I hope I can provide you with the same experience. I’m excited to spend the summer in Haiti meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, and learning more about myself, God, and all of the people I come in contact with.


Hannah Galehouse
I am a senior at Orrville High School in Orrville, Ohio. I have been on two short term mission trips with HCO. On my first trip, I instantly fell in love with Haiti. This past summer I went on my second trip, but this time I felt called to do something more. As soon as I arrived home I filled out an application to be a summer intern at HCO. When I found out I was chosen as one of the interns, I literally jumped for joy!

A few of my favorite snacks would probabaly have to be trail mix (no raisins, haha), almonds, and packs of crackers! 
I would kill a spider if it was just a spider…I would probabaly not kill a tarantula to be honest! 

I am so thankful for this opportunity, and I am so excited to see what God does this summer in Haiti.


Andrea Larson
Hey! I’m from Greentown, Indiana. I am currently a 17-year-old junior in high school. I went to Haiti in the summer of 2014 and fell in love with the country and the people. I have been longing to go back ever since. As soon as I knew I was old enough to apply for an internship, I jumped on the opportunity! God started to stir in my heart when I was in Haiti, and one year later at an event called CIY (Christ in Youth) I accepted God’s calling in my life to go into missions. I am doing an internship with HCO because 1) I love Haiti, the culture, and the people. 2) I love missions, and I want to work in the missions field one day. And 3) I am excited to make new friendships and grow in my relationship with Christ.

If you come to Haiti keep in mind that my favorite American snacks are goldfish and animal crackers! 🙂
 
I am terrified of spiders!!! I’m not super scared of tarantulas (weird right?!). But, if I needed to help a team member or any person, I would completely 100% help in any way I could (which would most likely mean getting someone else to come kill the spider). 
 
I am so excited to make new friends and spend my entire summer serving the Lord. This has been a dream of mine for over 2 years, so I am super pumped to get to share my love for God’s children and everyone else! I’m so excited to meet y’all! See ya in Haiti!


Lizzy Smith
I am from Owensboro, Kentucky. I am 17 and currently a junior in high school.
I am doing this internship because I am exploring missions and children’s ministry as a career. I also loved the ministry and the area when I went the summer of 2014 and wanted to be an intern as soon as I was old enough. I am looking forward to the opportunity to listen and learn from God as I enter in to my senior year of high school. Also, I’m looking forward to Rebo coffee and vanilla. 🙂
My favorite American snack is popcorn of any kind…I don’t discriminate. 
I am almost ashamed to admit that I cannot handle insects of any kind, but especially not spiders. I would 100% not be the one to ask to kill a spider. I would however, be willing to stand back and cheer on somebody killing the spider! 
I am very excited to embark on this journey with God beside me. I left a piece of my heart in Haiti the last time I was there, and I have been eager to return since.
OK, teams, did you catch all of that? Goldfish crackers, animal crackers, trail mix-no raisins, almonds, crackers, and popcorn are the snacks to stock up on when you come down this summer. And Larissa is your spider killer! The others will cheer her on!
Seriously, this is a great group of young women, and we are looking forward to their summer of service. Please pray for them as they raise funds, prepare their hearts (and suitcases!), and get to know one another. Join us in asking God that He would use them in a bold way that honors Him and expands His kingdom!

Summer 2018 Interns
Each summer we recruit high school seniors or college students who have served on at least one HCO short-term trip to be our Summer Interns, primarily serving our summer teams. Applications open each fall. If you think you’d like to consider becoming an intern, learn more on our blog.