Hello to my friends and family,
A quick update on my life - I have been working at a faith-based nonprofit called OC United for the past two years. My work there has been focused on serving people who are most vulnerable in society across different areas of Fullerton. This includes the homeless, those who have experienced domestic violence, aged-out foster youth, but primarily with at-risk youth. This term, at-risk, is a term that refers to children who are more susceptible to things like drug/alcohol abuse, gang activity, domestic violence, becoming homeless, or demonstrating other behavioral issues. I work with Junior High students through preventative after-school programming, providing curriculum and services that aim to connect with them to prevent these at-risk behaviors. My organization's goal is to bring people out of isolation, guilt, fear, and shame and into a healing relationship. We approach our people with a combination of psychological, sociological, and spiritual concepts, creating wrap-around services. We believe that connecting and equipping people will lead to lasting transformation. It has been both challenging and rewarding as I invest in these kids. I try to love them with the love that I believe Christ has for all of us.
This summer, I hope to expand my knowledge, experience, and skills by pursuing a unique opportunity that has been offered to me. I will be attending a missions conference hosted by Communitas International in Malaga, Spain, and attending with a small missions leadership nonprofit called The Ember Cast. I will have a chance to learn from people who serve the underprivileged abroad, and I'm hoping to gain insight and wisdom from people who work with refugees, street children, and much more, all for the sake of spreading God’s name. You probably know that I have a deep passion for learning and exploring so prior to this, I will be backpacking for a month around Europe, diving into different cultures around the world. I hope to find new ways to help serve the people I love back home through my experiences this summer and I'm excited to combine informal travel with a conference hosted by missional practitioners.
What I ask is for you to help me in achieving this amazing opportunity that I have been given. The funds for the entire conference and other expenses involving the conference are $700. I hope to raise this amount so that I will be able to add this conference to my tool belt. I want to be a servant-hearted man, compelled by love, who comes to others in need, as I too have needed help in my life. When I see the people I work with, I see people who have experienced unexplainable things. I want to be a force that meets them where they are. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I hope you consider contributing anything that you can. If you have any further questions about the trip, conference, or my work, reach out, and I'd love to give you more information!
Sincerely,
Gavin Hutson