Connor's Mission Trip to Mozambique

Hey everyone, my name is Connor Economou and I am currently a sophomore attending Western Michigan University on a pre-medicine track. I would like to tell you about my life and interest in helping the less fortunate. To begin, my mom founded a non-for-profit called Watts of Love which has been steadily growing over the past 4 years. Watts of Love brings solar lights and training to people living without access to electricity in order to raise them out of extreme poverty. We go to the darkest, most forgotten places all over the world. In the Spring of 2014, I was fortunate enough to travel to the Philippines with my entire family to deliver lights and work with a remote indigenous tribe called the Manyans. Now that was amazing to say the least, but the most life altering experience I've had was this past August. At the last minute I was given the opportunity to travel to Haiti as a volunteer (I payed for my own expenses) with a Watts of Love team to deliver 500 lights to the northern province of Hinche. That trip taught me I have inherent leadership qualities as I trained the Haitian people desperately seeking a way to improve their lives. It was absolutely life changing. This experience so impacted me that I have decided to live in Mozambique, Africa for 12 weeks next summer to attend the Iris School of Missions in Pemba. During those 12 weeks, I will be schooled how to minister to different cultures as well as experiencing the challenges of living in a third world country. I will be applying my education through serving others, coordinating various service projects as well as loving on thousands of orphans that live on and near the Pemba base. The last 2 weeks of the trip, I will embark on an extended outreach program into the deep "bush-bush" (totally off the grid part) of Africa, working, praying, loving and helping as many families as we can. I know this sounds crazy, but I feel extremely "called" to spend next summer in Africa rather than home with my friends. I hope to really make a difference in Africa and apply the knowledge I learn well into my adult life. With all that being said if for any reason I do not go all money will be refunded. Upon my return home I will send out a post-trip report along with photos. I truly appreciate any support that you can offer to make this dream a reality.