12/05/2023
Any help that you could do would be much Appreciated.
I hope this letter finds you well. As some of you know my wife, Jamie, has gone on two mission trips to Africa with her church. At the end of March, she is going again, and this time I will be going with her! Her church has an ongoing relationship with the people in Ekudzeni, a small, rural village in the country of eSwatini (near South Africa). The church sponsors a carepoint, one of many in eSwatini overseen by AIM, Adventures in Missions.
A carepoint is a special place where children of all ages can come each day, receive a meal, learn a bit about God, build relationships with each other, and, most importantly, be safe! For many of the kids who visit the carepoint, the daily meal will be the only meal they have that day. It is open 365 days a year, thanks to the tireless work of local women and young adults who give their time. Many walk for miles back and forth each day to get to and from the carepoint.
Around the year 2000, eSwatini was given the nickname “country of orphans”. That is because it was the hardest hit of all African countries by the AIDS epidemic. Most of an entire generation was wiped out by AIDS, due to lack of understanding, fear of speaking of the disease, and an overall lack of healthcare available to most of the people in the country. A lot of the children that come to the carepoint live with grandparents, aunts, uncles, or anyone else that would take them in. More education and access to protection against AIDS are improving the numbers, but there is still a ways to go.
Since K2 started sponsoring the Ekudzeni carepoint, the church as a whole has been able to provide a well, a fence, outhouses, a preschool, and more. The last time Jamie was there, crops were being planted in the new community garden, where community members can come work to grow food and then benefit from the harvest. The focus in eSwatini is to educate the people and provide the means for them to be able to support themselves and thrive as a community.
As I am sure you know, undertaking a trip to this country halfway around the world is a huge endeavor, especially since it will be my first time leaving the US. I am counting on support from family and friends, as well as fundraising. The trip costs around $4000 per person, so we need to raise around $8,000, a large portion of which is due right after Christmas. If you are able and would like to contribute financially, you can make a tax deductible donation at www.k2thechurch.com. Click "Give", then designate it as "one time"-- a drop down menu gives you the option to choose "eSwatini Mission". Then just mention my name in the memo line, and the church will ensure that the money is credited to me. If you are looking to have some pictures done, I am fundraising that way, as well. If you are unable to contribute financially, know that your support still means a lot to me.
Sincerely,
