The people of Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the western hemisphere, face enormous challenges in terms of well-being and development. The recent earthquake has only further devastated the nation's people.

Teresa Henry, a volunteer for the Colorado Haiti Project, works to help development and the general improvement of people's lives in a region of Haiti called Petit-Trou-de-Nippes. On her first trip to Haiti, Henry said, "it was completely overwhelming to see all the poverty, the smell, the number of people."

As a volunteer, Henry goes on both medical and educational missions. Henry has not only given workshops for Haitian teachers as part of an educational mission, but she has also held a clinic for over 1,200 people when she served as part of a medical mission.

In Colorado Henry is part of a team that creates standards and policies for successful mission trips. Recently, the earthquake has made it difficult to come into contact with people in Petit-Trou. Nevertheless, Henry and all the other volunteers at the Colorado Haiti project continue to work hard in a committed effort to improve conditions for all Haitians. "I can't imagine my life without it," said Henry, "it's a huge blessing."

For information about volunteering with the Colorado Haiti Project or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.