The thought of traveling to a third world country would make many people cringe. Questions flood to mind: Is it safe? Can I drink the water? What if I get sick? Facing these fears isn't easy, but one Nashville woman keeps finding the courage to travel to Haiti, even in the wake of disaster. Laura Ramey took her first trip to Haiti with Sweet Sleep in February 2010, immediately after the devastating earthquake.
"We took a relief team to provide mattresses, sheets, and love to a traumatized country," Laura said. " I did not necessarily 'want' to go, which is why I knew I needed to go! I was terrified, to be honest, and I knew God was asking me to step out of my comfort zone by going to a third world country in crisis."
The trip to Haiti impacted her tremendously and encouraged her to return.
"The people, specifically the children [keep bringing me back to Haiti]," Laura said. "I absolutely love the spirit of the Haitians. They have been through so much, yet their hope is so strong."
Not only has Laura given her time to travel and help the people of Haiti, she is also planning to help the orphans there in an very tangible way.
"My husband and I are in an adoption process to bring home three sweet Haitian boys, so we grow more in love with the country and culture as we learn more," Laura said.
Since her first trip in 2010, Laura has returned to Haiti once and will travel there once again on April 13. For her, the most rewarding part of her trips is seeing the smiles on the children's faces when they receive the beds and Bibles provided by Sweet Sleep.
"I do not fully know what they've been through, but I know they have had tough circumstances and traumatic backgrounds," Laura said. "To see their faces light up with joy when they receive these gifts...a place of comfort and full of God's love...is so rewarding".
Laura just returned from Sweet Sleep's latest trip to Haiti April 13-19. If you missed their team reports on our blog, take a moment to look back through our blog for their stories.
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