CLEVES, Ohio — Volunteers are making a 1,600-mile trip to get help and supplies to the island devastated by an earthquake.

What You Need To Know

  • Several volunteers are already on the ground and another group from Crossroads Church in Ohio is waiting on word that it's safe before sending more volunteers 

  • Darin Kroger is the first from the church to go to Haiti after the earthquake hit 

  • About 300 more church volunteers are ready to go in and help within the next few weeks

Darin Kroger has been on a lot of mission trips over the last 10 years. 

“It changed my life, absolutely changed my life,” said Kroger.

But he said the trip he’s going on now is different.

“I want it to tear my heart out. I want my heart to break for them, that’s why I go," said Kroger. 

It's because of what he’s getting ready to see. He's going straight into the aftermath of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti.

“There’s gonna be devastation and you’re gonna see and smell and hear things that can mess you up,” said Kroger.

He knows because he’s been going to Haiti for years.

He's been trying to help the island that's still recovering from the last devastating earthquake in 2010. 

“Although I’ve been doing this professionally for over a decade that doesn’t get any easier,” said Kroger. 

This time, he’s the first in his church group out of Crossroads Church in Ohio to go. 

He’ll be helping volunteers from other groups already in Haiti and he said about 300 more volunteers will be waiting on word from him to follow.

“We’re trying to make sure we can get them there safely and we have work for them to do and we can make an impact. When all that stuff comes together, we’ll throw up the bat signal and start saying, 'hey this is what we need to do'," said Kroger.

Then he said their mission begins.

Kroger said his church put in $50,000 for the supplies on another long road to help Haiti.

“Although the trip is gonna be challenging, I know God’s got something for me on the other end,” said Kroger.