Erin Burns missionary of God's love
Donation protected
Greetings!
This is Erin Burns again from Springfield, VA and I have just completed my 1st year mission work with Hard as Nails Ministries (HANM) based out of Syracuse, NY. As a point of reference, HANM is a Catholic non-profit organization with a national outreach to schools and parishes helping youth and adults who suffer in life whether from physical, emotional, or spiritual pain, and who struggle to accept God the Father’s love for them. I would like to share with you just how much this year of service has meant to me.
My volunteer experience has positively impacted and changed my life, as well as my Catholic outlook in so many ways. This impact has come from the many outreach efforts of the ministry, both through my work on the road with the evangelization team and on location in Westchester County, NY in forming today’s youth for an amazing life in God’s grace.
First, life on the road (in the tour bus above) is extremely crazy and not what I expected. As an example, while on an east coast based tour to the South, we had 18 community and parish based events in 16 days. In fact, there were days where we had three different events in three different venues; we were always on a time crunch! Yet, through the grace of God, we got through the multiple event setups and breakdowns and were able to minister to the folks that God sent our way.
One of my favorite days, was when we were in Hanceville, Alabama at the Shrine Of the Most Blessed Sacrament for a HANM community event. The impressive buildings, incredible view, and attendees’ love for God were so beautiful! At the end of the event, all of the missionaries got the chance to pray with every single person there. Normally, each one of us have the chance to pray with one or two attendees, so the fact that we prayed over each person attending individually was so awesome and powerful! A few of the attendees ended up resting in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and crying for the first time ever about their life struggles. Coming up to us at the end and telling us all about their experiences, they shared how they never told anyone about their life struggles in depth. It was just so humbling to witness God moving through their hearts; I was in awe as I witnessed God’s love for these people.
If you still can’t imagine what we do through our evangelization teams, a great way to envision our life on the road is by watching our 10-episode reality documentary on EWTN You’re Amazing with Justin Fatica. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZrU0EIuZEdU
Another outreach effort for me took place in one location. The whole first semester of this year I was in Westchester County, NY helping to spread the message that You Are Amazing to the local community. This long term community based work is a new program for the HANM organization. Let me just say, getting this project off the ground this year was crazy with so many ups and downs, including rejections. Throughout the fall, my team and I did door to door evangelization; street evangelization both locally and to the homeless in NYC; worked in schools; and ran “Passion” groups.
The Passion program is a great tool that we use at HANM and it is an easy way to partake in someone's suffering and to know where he is in his walk in life. The Passion program revolves around three questions: What are you currently struggling with? What are you grateful for? What do you need prayers for?
Our work in Westchester County culminated in an event called the You're Amazing Invitation. That April evening, we had over 2,000 souls in attendance. Thirty-two priests were present too and heard over 680 confessions, including a few from folks who had not been to confession in over 50 years! God is so good!
Finally, in addition to sharing with you the excitement and successes of my time with HANM, there is one other purpose of my writing. I LOVE this volunteer work and the difference that it and I as a missionary are making in the lives of those we meet. Due to my zeal and hard work, I have been asked to come back again this coming academic year to be a part of the HANM missionary leadership team. But again, I will need your help. Missionary life requires the humbling process of fundraising one’s living expenses, which is estimated to be $12,000. This money helps the ministry offset the expenses associated with my mission work - mostly food, housing, training and travel-related expenditures. Most of this past year’s donations have come from the support of my home parish, family, and friends. It was a huge blessing to know that they were supporting me in my activities! Will you too join in my evangelization efforts?
Please know that any contribution is greatly accepted no matter the size. I will pray for your personal intentions in daily adoration in thanksgiving for your support.
Donations can be made either online or mailed in directly to Hard as Nails Ministries, or through this Go Fund Me campaign:
1. ONLINE:
https://hanm.org/donation
(Please pick “One time donation” and then pick “Erin Burns” as the designated recipient.)
2. MAIL:
Erin Burns
℅ Hard as Nails Ministries
PO Box 15191
Syracuse, NY 13215
(Make check out to HANM with "Erin Burns" on memo line)
3. GFM:
Use "Donate Now" button on this page.
In closing, let me restate just how blessed I have been in being called to this volunteer work. I know that each person has numerous requests upon them in regards to supporting many, like me, in the vineyard of the Lord. No matter your response to my plea, please know how much I appreciate your taking the time to read my letter of petition. In anticipation of a gift of your choosing, either financial or prayer support, I thank you from the depths of my heart for your generous contribution.
Thank you so very much and remember, You’re Amazing!!!
Sincerely,
Erin Burns
Missionary 2017-2019
This is Erin Burns again from Springfield, VA and I have just completed my 1st year mission work with Hard as Nails Ministries (HANM) based out of Syracuse, NY. As a point of reference, HANM is a Catholic non-profit organization with a national outreach to schools and parishes helping youth and adults who suffer in life whether from physical, emotional, or spiritual pain, and who struggle to accept God the Father’s love for them. I would like to share with you just how much this year of service has meant to me.
My volunteer experience has positively impacted and changed my life, as well as my Catholic outlook in so many ways. This impact has come from the many outreach efforts of the ministry, both through my work on the road with the evangelization team and on location in Westchester County, NY in forming today’s youth for an amazing life in God’s grace.
First, life on the road (in the tour bus above) is extremely crazy and not what I expected. As an example, while on an east coast based tour to the South, we had 18 community and parish based events in 16 days. In fact, there were days where we had three different events in three different venues; we were always on a time crunch! Yet, through the grace of God, we got through the multiple event setups and breakdowns and were able to minister to the folks that God sent our way.
One of my favorite days, was when we were in Hanceville, Alabama at the Shrine Of the Most Blessed Sacrament for a HANM community event. The impressive buildings, incredible view, and attendees’ love for God were so beautiful! At the end of the event, all of the missionaries got the chance to pray with every single person there. Normally, each one of us have the chance to pray with one or two attendees, so the fact that we prayed over each person attending individually was so awesome and powerful! A few of the attendees ended up resting in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and crying for the first time ever about their life struggles. Coming up to us at the end and telling us all about their experiences, they shared how they never told anyone about their life struggles in depth. It was just so humbling to witness God moving through their hearts; I was in awe as I witnessed God’s love for these people. If you still can’t imagine what we do through our evangelization teams, a great way to envision our life on the road is by watching our 10-episode reality documentary on EWTN You’re Amazing with Justin Fatica. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZrU0EIuZEdU
Another outreach effort for me took place in one location. The whole first semester of this year I was in Westchester County, NY helping to spread the message that You Are Amazing to the local community. This long term community based work is a new program for the HANM organization. Let me just say, getting this project off the ground this year was crazy with so many ups and downs, including rejections. Throughout the fall, my team and I did door to door evangelization; street evangelization both locally and to the homeless in NYC; worked in schools; and ran “Passion” groups.
The Passion program is a great tool that we use at HANM and it is an easy way to partake in someone's suffering and to know where he is in his walk in life. The Passion program revolves around three questions: What are you currently struggling with? What are you grateful for? What do you need prayers for?
Our work in Westchester County culminated in an event called the You're Amazing Invitation. That April evening, we had over 2,000 souls in attendance. Thirty-two priests were present too and heard over 680 confessions, including a few from folks who had not been to confession in over 50 years! God is so good!
Finally, in addition to sharing with you the excitement and successes of my time with HANM, there is one other purpose of my writing. I LOVE this volunteer work and the difference that it and I as a missionary are making in the lives of those we meet. Due to my zeal and hard work, I have been asked to come back again this coming academic year to be a part of the HANM missionary leadership team. But again, I will need your help. Missionary life requires the humbling process of fundraising one’s living expenses, which is estimated to be $12,000. This money helps the ministry offset the expenses associated with my mission work - mostly food, housing, training and travel-related expenditures. Most of this past year’s donations have come from the support of my home parish, family, and friends. It was a huge blessing to know that they were supporting me in my activities! Will you too join in my evangelization efforts?
Please know that any contribution is greatly accepted no matter the size. I will pray for your personal intentions in daily adoration in thanksgiving for your support.
Donations can be made either online or mailed in directly to Hard as Nails Ministries, or through this Go Fund Me campaign:
1. ONLINE:
https://hanm.org/donation
(Please pick “One time donation” and then pick “Erin Burns” as the designated recipient.)
2. MAIL:
Erin Burns
℅ Hard as Nails Ministries
PO Box 15191
Syracuse, NY 13215
(Make check out to HANM with "Erin Burns" on memo line)
3. GFM:
Use "Donate Now" button on this page.
In closing, let me restate just how blessed I have been in being called to this volunteer work. I know that each person has numerous requests upon them in regards to supporting many, like me, in the vineyard of the Lord. No matter your response to my plea, please know how much I appreciate your taking the time to read my letter of petition. In anticipation of a gift of your choosing, either financial or prayer support, I thank you from the depths of my heart for your generous contribution.
Thank you so very much and remember, You’re Amazing!!!
Sincerely,
Erin Burns
Missionary 2017-2019
Organizer
Sheri Burns
Organizer
Springfield, VA