In 2003 Kent Annan left behind his prosperous, comfortable upbringing to face the world beyond its gates, where people wear his cast-off clothing and seek comfort from the heat in the long shadow of his homeland. Haiti, apparently, was where God wanted him. Of course, just because God wants you somewhere doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Little did he know how important his work would be. Now, in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, Annan's experience living and working in Haiti has become a powerful resource for those looking to learn more about this amazing country and find out how they can help Haiti rebuild and thrive. In this book you'll enter into Annan's experience traveling and working in Haiti, and ultimately you'll be challenged to follow God into uncharted territory on a path that may lead to your local soup kitchen--or to a Haitian relief settlement. Either way, you'll learn what it means to become vulnerable in order to help others and share the embodied love of Christ. Read Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle for a vivid picture of the Haiti Annan knows, the good work happening there through organizations like Haiti Partners, and the ways you can get involved. Whether you go or stay, you'll get a fresh sense of what it means to love God and love our neighbor when love is uncomfortable, even dangerous; to see what happens when God stretches you beyond your borders into his kingdom.
Kent Annan is author of After Shock (2011) and Following Jesus through the Eye of the Needle (2009). (Visit www.KentAnnan.com for blog, interviews, etc.)
Kent is also co-director of Haiti Partners, a nonprofit focused on education in Haiti. He's worked in Haiti since 2003--first living there and now traveling there regularly from Florida, where he lives with his wife and two children.
He has spent many years going back and forth between North America and working with people in different, difficult situations around the world. After graduating from university, Kent worked for two years in Western Europe helping refugees from the former Yugoslavia, Iran, Sierra Leone, and other countries. He then returned to study theology at Princeton Seminary, during which he spent three months studying in India. On graduation, he moved to Albania and then Kosovo to work for six months with refugees there. Later he moved back to Princeton to work (and for love!)--and a few years later he and his new wife moved to Haiti for two and a half years.
His book, Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle, tells the story of his move to Haiti and weaves together the nitty gritty joys and stumbles of living and ministering in the developing world--with reflections about faith, doubt, love and God along the way.
His writing has been published in literary journals including Utne Reader, Subtropics, Geez, Adbusters, The Sun, Natural Bridge, Pilgrimage Puerto Del Sol, Orion. One of his essays was cited as a "Notable Essay" in the Best American Essays series.
Kent has a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.
