The goal of this trip was to not only help build homes, but to teach the Haitian people to build even more on their own.
QUINCY, ILL. -- Earlier this year, a medical mission group from Quincy went on a week long journey to Haiti. Their goal was to bring help for earthquake victims and leave them with some survival skills.
Now, they're wanting to show you how your efforts helped rebuild the lives of many.
"We were actually supposed to be in Haiti the week of the earthquake," said Mark Lawrence, a builder in the Quincy area.
As a result, Lawrence and 17 others stalled their trip for a couple of months.
"We recognized that housing was in such need. There were millions of people living in tents and any material they could grad for a shelter," said Lawrence.
Months prior to their visit, this group boarded up the city of Quincy with hundreds of 2x4's. For every donation toward their mission trip, a signature or picture drawn by hundreds throughout the city. It would be a mark that would stay forever engraved on a stranger's home.
"These 2x4's were the actual material that we built the houses with," said Lawrence.
The goal of this trip was to not only help build homes, but to teach the Haitian people to build even more on their own.
"It's very rewarding. The lady we built the first house for, she was living in a tent.She just stood there and prayed with her arms open.We couldn't understand her but we knew what she was doing," said Ralph Peters with the medical mission group.
"This country needs people like us. They need to hope and to know there are people around the world who care about them," said Chris Allison, a volunteer with the mission group.
Members with the Haiti Medical Mission want to thank everyone who helped make their trip a reality. You're invited to a public presentation of all of their stories and video Wednesday, July 20. Come by the Union United Methodist Church off State Street in Quincy at 7 p.m. to see how your donations helped.