Collegiate Times

Students return from Haiti in earthquake's aftermath

“We don’t know if the people we worked with are alive or not,” Reggie Tuck said.

Shroyer said that although the mission group was in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, they “had no idea what the Haitians were going through” as far as the deep effects of the disaster.

“There wasn’t a lot we could immediately do,” he said.

The Tucks and the rest of the mission group were able to stay in Cange for a few days past their expected departure as they worked out travel arrangements. Their flight out of Port-au-Prince, originally scheduled for Jan. 14, had to be changed.

“It became clear that going to Port-au-Prince was not going to work,” Reggie Tuck said.

The group traveled across the border to the Dominican Republic, where they stayed overnight before flying out of Santo Domingo. Half of the group was able to leave on Sunday, while the
rest returned to the United States Monday.

Shroyer said that the trip positively affected him, despite the surprise ending.

“It was a time of happiness and sharing of love,” he said, “even in the midst of tragedy.”

Both Nadia Tuck and her father were struck by the strength of the Haitian people around them after the disaster.

“We were able to return because of how the Haitians helped us,” Tuck said.
Nadia agreed.

“We were taken care of really well by the Haitians,” she said. “Most striking was how they took care of us like we were family, even though they were suffering and waiting to hear from their own
families.”

The Tuck family and its church plans to continue working with Haiti to provide help in any way they can. The church plans to continue its relationship with Partners in Health. Reggie Tuck said that he would wait and take direction from the Haitians about what was needed most as the country deals with the aftermath of the earthquake.

Nadia Tuck said that she also is looking for ways to help.

“I would like to go back sometime soon,” she said.

Many Tech students share her sentiments. Hokies United is planning an effort to help victims of the earthquake in collaboration with Partners in Health.

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