Today I turn 43!
Like other pastors who use their birthdays as opportunities to spotlight ministries of mercy, I thought I would take today as a chance to make a pitch on behalf of my favorite teenage young lady on the earth: my daughter, Ashley (16).
She is wonderful. I am a very proud papa as she loves Jesus and has earned an internship at World Concern, so I’m helping her raise funds for a particular project. Below she explains what she is doing for Jesus.
From Ashley:
This semester I have been given the opportunity to work as an intern at World Concern. I am very thankful to get to work with such an impacting organization.
The social justice club at my school, which I am also a part of, is partnering with World Concern to sponsor a village in Laos. Through a program called One Village Transformed and the donations of our community, the people of Dak Rak, Laos, will receive better nutrition, clean water, education, and more.
World Concern focuses on long-term change instead of just a temporary fix, so the villagers will be given the tools and support they need to address problems in their community that they have identified for themselves. This sponsorship is a three-year commitment, so we have a lot of fundraising ahead of us.
If you are willing to donate, you can do so here.
Here is more information about the project, from World Concern:
World Concern’s campaign matches you with the village of Dak Rak for three years. With your support, we will work with the community to accomplish specific goals as they begin to see a better future emerge.
Families in rural Laos are some of the poorest in the world . . . living on less than a dollar a day. Food shortages are common, and children suffer from malnourishment. Sicknesses like malaria and diarrhea are rampant and many young children die from treatable diseases because there’s no medical care.
Most children are not in school. Girls, especially, spend their days collecting water and working instead of being in school.
With you, World Concern will walk alongside families in the village of Dak Rak, helping them build their lives and their community from the ground up. Together, we’ll focus on long-term solutions, so the people of Dak Rak can stand on their own.
Our priorities over these next three years will include:For $33 a month for three years, you will make a powerful and significant investment in the lives of struggling families.
- Improving nutrition / Better health for children
- Clean water / Improved sanitation and hygiene training
- Education / Access to education and hope for the future
Hope is coming to Dak Rak. We invite you to walk alongside the people here, as together, we see One Village Transformed.
Thank you!
Thank you for considering this birthday request. Thank you to everyone who has allowed me to make a deposit in their lives through a sermon, blog, book, or whatever. And thank you to everyone who prays for Grace, me, and the Fab Five (our kids). Jesus is answering your prayers as they love and serve Jesus with a lot of joy and are a total blessing!
For more information about the One Village Transformed campaign, see this video. You can also see the story of another Laotian village that they have already been working with.
