Help Me Return to South Africa

From August 24 through September 10, I will return to the Limpopo region of South Africa for my third Christian mission trip.

One part of our mission will be spending time with children from kindergarten through seventh grade and teaching them Bible lessons. Many live without things we often take for granted, including stable housing, a bed, or running water. Yet what I remember most is not what they lack. These children are so full of light—I don’t know a better way to describe them.

When I think about returning to South Africa, I feel drawn back to center. I experience a calm and peace there that I do not feel anywhere else in the world. Learning, laughing, and sharing God’s love with these children has left a lasting mark on my heart.

We will also participate in a women’s conference centered on God’s desire for a relationship with us, the ways sin and spiritual opposition can pull us away from that relationship, and His continuing invitation to draw close to Him.

I have personally paid approximately $3,400 to cover airfare, lodging, meals, local transportation, and mission expenses. I felt strongly called to return, but that commitment created a greater personal financial strain than I anticipated.

I am hoping to raise $1,500 to help offset a portion of the trip’s cost, including required vaccinations and incidental expenses. A portion of the funds raised will also help provide much-needed menstrual-care products for women, teens, and girls in the communities we serve.

Any contribution would make a meaningful difference. If you are unable to give, sharing this fundraiser and praying for the children, the women, our mission team, and safe travels would mean so much to me and my mission partners.

Thank you for helping me return to a place and people who have touched my heart so deeply.