Please help send LaKeisha to Africa!!!

Hello family and friends!!

I hope this email reaches you well. As I'm sure most of you know, I'm passionate about service. I volunteer with two organizations in my personal time. I'm also the leader of the community service team with the Twenty20 Young Adult Ministry at my church and I also serve every day in my career working at a nonprofit organization. Service is my passion. My fondest memories are impacting the lives of others in some way: While working with youth, I remember discovering the one thing that changed little Frank's Saturday mornings at our creative educational program with youth in foster care, someone to walk with him to the breakfast area and just talk to him. Like most of the youth I worked with, his neglectful history with his mother, inhibited his ability to build healthy relationships. I've learned that just being a consistent force in the lives of our youth really makes the difference. Another great aspect of serving has been the great relationships I've built and wonderful people I've encountered managing volunteers as we work together for our causes. This past weekend, I was able to participate in a Habitat for Humanity home repair in Inglewood, CA with my young adult ministry. These moments and so many more truly bring joy to my life and are a part of my life's purpose.

Now, a great opportunity presents itself: I can continue to serve, have a life changing experience and travel to one of the places I've always dreamt of visiting, Africa. My church is partnering with Habitat for Humanity as we go to South Africa to build homes. We're also spending time at an AIDS orphanage.

I will not be able to make this trip without your support! Please help me to continue to serve and help others. I am led to do this and I need people to aid in sending a worker. In Matthew 9:37 it states, "Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." There is so much to be done and I am one of those workers, it has been put on my heart to do this work.

I need to raise $5,000 by January 1st! My first and only gift of $130 was given by a co-worker, someone who doesn't really know me, but believes in me and was led to give after briefly hearing about this mission.

If 250 of my family and friends give just $20 I will be paid in full!!! This may sound like many people, but I can honestly say that I have had great relationships whether short lived or still thriving, and I believe that whether we knew each other from Detroit, Miami of Ohio, Los Angeles, church, performing, or randomly met, you could see something in me, my heart, something that makes you want to support me at this time. If you have the ability to give more, I would truly appreciate it.

I would really like this opportunity and I pray that you take part in getting me there. I will be forever grateful and look forward to sharing my journey with you!!! Thank you in advance!!!

Peace & Blessings,

LaKeisha R. Thomas