Current:Home > MarketsMeet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti -Visionary Growth Labs
Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
View
Date:2025-04-18 17:45:40
Haiti has been racked by political instabilityand intensifying, deadly gang violence. Amid a Federal Aviation Administration ban on flights from the U.S. to Haiti, some volunteers remain unwavering in their determination to travel to the Caribbean country to help the innocent people caught in the middle of the destabilization.
Nearly 3 million children are in need of humanitarian aid in Haiti, according to UNICEF.
A missionary group in south Florida says they feel compelled to continue their tradition of bringing not just aid, but Christmas gifts to children in what the World Bank says is the poorest nation in Latin America and the Caribbean.
"Many people on the brink of starvation ... children that need some joy at this time of the year," said Joe Karabensh, a pilot who has been flying to help people in Haiti for more than 20 years. "I definitely think it's worth the risk. We pray for safety, but we know the task is huge, and we're meeting a need."
His company, Missionary Flights International, helps around 600 charities fly life-saving supplies to Haiti. He's flown medical equipment, tires, and even goats to the country in refurbished World War II-era planes.
But it's an annual flight at Christmas time, packed full of toys for children, that feels especially important to him. This year, one of his Douglas DC-3 will ship more than 260 shoe-box-sized boxes of toys purchased and packed by church members from the Family Church of Jensen Beach in Florida.
Years ago, the church built a school in a rural community in the northern region of Haiti, which now serves about 260 students.
A small group of missionaries from the church volunteer every year to board the old metal planes in Karabensh's hangar in Fort Pierce, Florida, and fly to Haiti to personally deliver the cargo of Christmas cheer to the school. The boxes are filled with simple treasures, like crayons, toy cars and Play-Doh.
It's a tradition that has grown over the last decade, just as the need, too, has grown markedly.
Contractor Alan Morris, a member of the group, helped build the school years ago, and returns there on mission trips up to three times a year. He keeps going back, he said, because he feels called to do it.
"There's a sense of peace, if you will," he said.
Last month, three passenger planes were shotflying near Haiti's capital, but Morris said he remains confident that his life is not in danger when he travels to the country under siege, because they fly into areas further away from Port-au-Prince, where the violence is most concentrated.
This is where the WWII-era planes play a critical role. Because they have two wheels in the front — unlike modern passenger planes, which have one wheel in the front — the older planes can safely land on a remote grass landing strip.
The perilous journey doesn't end there – after landing, Morris and his fellow church members must drive another two hours with the boxes of gifts.
"I guarantee, the worst roads you've been on," Morris said.
It's a treacherous journey Morris lives for, year after year, to see the children's faces light up as they open their gifts.
Asked why it's important to him to help give these children a proper Christmas, Morris replied with tears in his eyes, "They have nothing, they have nothing, you know, but they're wonderful, wonderful people ... and if we can give them just a little taste of what we think is Christmas, then we've done something."
- In:
- Haiti
- Florida
Kati Weis is a Murrow award-winning reporter for CBS News based in New Orleans, covering the Southeast. She previously worked as an investigative reporter at CBS News Colorado in their Denver newsroom.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
veryGood! (892)
Related
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- American Jessica Pegula rips No. 1 Iga Swiatek, advances to US Open semifinals
- 4 friends. 3 deaths, 9 months later: What killed Kansas City Chiefs fans remains a mystery
- What to Know About Rebecca Cheptegei, the Olympic Runner Set on Fire in a Gasoline Attack
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Katy Perry dodges question about Dr. Luke after online backlash amid Kesha claims
- Nearly 50 people have been killed, injured in K-12 school shootings across the US in 2024
- Travis, Jason Kelce talk three-peat, LeBron, racehorses on 'New Heights' podcast
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Who is Jon Lovett? What to know about the former Obama speechwriter on 'Survivor' 47
Ranking
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Why isn't Rashee Rice suspended? What we know about Chiefs WR's legal situation
- No leggings, no crop tops: North Carolina restaurant's dress code has the internet talking
- Why is the Facebook app logo black? Some users report 'sinister'-looking color change
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Judge dismisses sexual assault lawsuit against ex-NFL kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars for now
- Apalachee High School shooting press conference: Watch live as officials provide updates
- Apalachee High School shooting press conference: Watch live as officials provide updates
Recommendation
McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
Patrick Surtain II, Broncos agree to four-year, $96 million extension
Ravens not running from emotions in charged rematch with Chiefs
Bill Belichick, Nick Saban were often brutal with media. Now they are media.
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
When do new episodes of 'Power Book II: Ghost' Season 4 come out? Release date, time, cast, where to watch
Judge dismisses sexual assault lawsuit against ex-NFL kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars for now
Imanaga, 2 relievers combine for no-hitter, lead Cubs over Pirates 12-0