The Mission
My History:
On September 16th, 1999 Hurricane Floyd made landfall in eastern North Carolina. The resulting floods in the following weeks reached what experts deemed to be the 500 year floodplain. Housing was completely underwater and 100 year old oak trees lie broken in the streets. This disaster impacted thousands of lives and in a three week period of absolute turmoil I experienced the most unified sense of community I have ever felt.
This event changed my life forever and marks the exact moment I knew I wanted to help people in need. It is a very sinking feeling to be in a helpless situation with a desire to make a difference. I did what little I could to help then, but find myself in a position to make a greater difference in the world.
Malawi, Africa:
Grace Community Church in Englewood, CO has put together a mission trip to Malawi, Africa in June 2010. The goal is to build a 25′ x 35′ brick structure that will house 10 orphans whose parents were affected by the AIDS epidemic. There will be 30 people staying in Malawi for two weeks to get the house built. Bonnie and I have decided to volunteer our time to fly to this small African country and lend my construction expertise and her dedication for this worthy cause.
The trip includes a brief stop in DC and an overnight stay in Ethiopia before landing in Lilongwe. We will then travel to a nearby village where we will construct the tin-roofed house. Upon completion of the structure, we will spend the last three days on an outing to a wildlife preserve in neighboring Zambia. This journey is the opportunity of a lifetime. It promises to not only change us forever, but it will allow us to make a real, lasting difference in people’s lives.
How You Can Help:
The cost of this mission is $3600 plus an additional $400-500 for immunizations. This covers the flights, lodging, and meals for the entire trip. Our goal is to raise enough money to cover these costs as we are taking the time off work, mostly unpaid, to participate in the mission. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and can be administered in one of three ways:
- Click on any of the PayPal links in this website and you can pay with your PayPal account or any major credit card on a secure PayPal window.
- For tax deductible donations, checks can be mailed directly to Grace Community Church. Please write “Malawi” in the memo section and attach a separate note designating the donation be applied to our account.
- Mail check or money order to our home address.
**Please see the contact page for mailing details and fundraising status.
Lilongwe Time