Mother Teresa once said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

Enon resident and Honey Creek Presbyterian Church pastor Shelley Wiley hopes to be contributing her small gift of love to Haiti earthquake victims very soon. She is planning to make a trip to the devastated Carribbean country in February.

Wiley is no stranger to Haiti; she has been making treks there since 1997. The pastor is on the board of Hearts with Haiti, an organization that helps provide financial assistance to Saint Joseph's. Saint Joseph's is an umbrella name for three homes:  St. Joseph’s Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince, a home for disabled children called Wings of Hope in Fermathe, and a home for young boys called Trinity House in Jacmel.

Wiley was initially on her way to Haiti to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Jan. 31. Then, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti just outside of the capital of Port-au-Prince. The Haitian capital was devastated and, unfortunately, Saint Joseph's was not spared. The home sustained significant damage and one guest at the home's guest house perished. Fortunately, none of the residents were killed.

Now the nature of Wiley's trip has changed. While she will be limited on what she can do at this juncture, Wiley's trek has become, in part, a mission of mercy. She'll be bringing much-needed relief supplies with her. Much of the visit will be spent inspecting the damage done to Saint Joseph's and determining what kind of rebuilding efforts will be required. For Wiley, the mission ahead of her is a labor of love.

"I'm doing this because I love Haiti and I love the people there," said Wiley. "It's my joy to do it. It is a terribly impoverished nation, but there is the other side. The people of Haiti are hospitable and joyous when they see other people. I'm consistently greeted by smiles and people willing to share. They really are happy when people come to visit them. They want the word to get out that there's something good about Haiti."

Wiley considers the earthquake a major setback in the attempt to accentuate the positive aspects of Haiti. Things had been changing politically in the Carribbean nation, and the government and business sector had begun working closely with their international partners to build a better country. Unfortunately, the earthquake has made those signs of hope fade.

"The visual images of the collapse of government institutions and houses after the quake should tell us that rebuilding is not going to be over night," said Wiley.

While Haiti's emergence from tragedy will be long and arduous, local people are showing an eagerness to help. Wiley's own congregation has taken a special interest in the people of Haiti and has begun an earthquake fund. According to Wiley, Honey Creek Presbyterian and New Carlisle residents began developing a connection with the Haitian people when Saint Joseph's Resurrection Dance Troupe visited the Miami Valley in the fall. They performed in the Heritage of Flight Festival's parade and packed the house during a performance at Honey Creek. Wiley says that the skillful dancers made a lasting impression on people that became even more obvious after disaster struck.

"The day after the earthquake, I got a phone call from a man who remembered the dancers and wanted to know what he could do," Wiley recalled. "A business woman in New Carlisle that's involved in the Heritage of Flight also called asking how she could help."

Wiley says that money is the best form of assistance a person could currently offer. Food and clothing will find their way to Haiti's inhabitants much slower because of the potential of getting caught up in customs.

"The best thing to do is give money to an organization you trust," Wileyn said.

People wanting to help the Haitians are encouraged to visit the Hearts with Haiti website at www.heartswithhaiti.org.