What an afternoon yesterday was around the Thornton house! Our oldest daughter, Rosie, was doing her final packing for her mission trip to Haiti and we were preparing to get in the car to drive to Baltimore for her to join her mission team. Meanwhile my wife was online looking for information from an airline and searching for some Creole phrases, the language in Haiti, that Rosie could know for simple conversation.
In the process, my wife came across news of a Travel Warning issued April 30, 2008, that had been issued by the United States Department of State. It advised Americans to defer non-essential travel to Haiti until further notice because the conditions that led to civil unrest a month ago had not been entirely resolved. She showed me the information online and I read it all several times. Fourteen kidnappings of Americans so far this year marked by deaths, brutal physical and sexual assault, and shooting of Americans. It read that there is a limited capability of local law enforcement to resolve kidnapping cases and the operations of emergency services by the United States embassy in Haiti are occasionally limited by demonstrations and violence.
So there we were ready to send our daughter off to Haiti with high expectations of a great time of ministry and we find out this information.
It was pretty scary stuff so after reading it over several times I called the U.S. State Department about it. They told me that the Travel Warning was definitely in effect. So I gave Rosie the information and after she read it and we talked I said that it was her decision to make as to whether to go or not. She is an adult, 20 years old, and had decided to take the trip so it was her decision to cancel or not. Inside I was definitely wanting to tell her "DON'T GO!" but I tried to stay calm as she thought about it. Finally I said something like, "If you can't decide I'll tell you what to do" and she immediately said, "I'm not going." I was glad she decided on her own and that she had decided to listen to the warning of the U.S. Government.
A lot of tears were shed around the house (mine seemed to stay inside but I was just as fearful) and we were all glad she was staying home. We know that there are times when God calls you into a dangerous situation but Rosie prayed and decided this was a time to stay home. Lots of prayers this next week for the group that went, as far as we know, and we wish them the best. We just had to deal with the information we had even if it was at the last moment.
So even though money had been raised for the trip it was deemed best to think about safety first. It's a decision we can live with.
In the process, my wife came across news of a Travel Warning issued April 30, 2008, that had been issued by the United States Department of State. It advised Americans to defer non-essential travel to Haiti until further notice because the conditions that led to civil unrest a month ago had not been entirely resolved. She showed me the information online and I read it all several times. Fourteen kidnappings of Americans so far this year marked by deaths, brutal physical and sexual assault, and shooting of Americans. It read that there is a limited capability of local law enforcement to resolve kidnapping cases and the operations of emergency services by the United States embassy in Haiti are occasionally limited by demonstrations and violence.
So there we were ready to send our daughter off to Haiti with high expectations of a great time of ministry and we find out this information.
It was pretty scary stuff so after reading it over several times I called the U.S. State Department about it. They told me that the Travel Warning was definitely in effect. So I gave Rosie the information and after she read it and we talked I said that it was her decision to make as to whether to go or not. She is an adult, 20 years old, and had decided to take the trip so it was her decision to cancel or not. Inside I was definitely wanting to tell her "DON'T GO!" but I tried to stay calm as she thought about it. Finally I said something like, "If you can't decide I'll tell you what to do" and she immediately said, "I'm not going." I was glad she decided on her own and that she had decided to listen to the warning of the U.S. Government.
A lot of tears were shed around the house (mine seemed to stay inside but I was just as fearful) and we were all glad she was staying home. We know that there are times when God calls you into a dangerous situation but Rosie prayed and decided this was a time to stay home. Lots of prayers this next week for the group that went, as far as we know, and we wish them the best. We just had to deal with the information we had even if it was at the last moment.
So even though money had been raised for the trip it was deemed best to think about safety first. It's a decision we can live with.
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