Family Christmas in Virginia!
Donation protected
Beloved friends & fam ~
I want to see if it's possible to quickly raise about $1,500 for a trip to spend Christmas with my son, Immanuel.
Now…I'm not the "asking" type.
Yet, as many of you know, the past 3 ½ years have proved financially difficult for me. Losing a great job in 2011, I had a year of unemployment, then a year of under-employment, than began the only substantial work I could land: as a mail handler with The US Postal Service. This latter gig has been a real blessing, but fraught with challenges -- including a substantial pay decrease against prior earnings.
(This means I'm still struggling to keep solvent. Incidentally, my wacky work schedule is why most of you haven't seen me at church or at Bible study in a long time.)
To meet this challenge, I've moved several times (into increasingly smaller spaces, with 1 exception) which has led to my currently renting a room (in a place that's soon to be sold). Consequently, extended visits from Immanuel have either had to be considerably shortened or forfeited altogether. Moreover, Immanuel started attending a year-round school in Spring of 2013 which only takes 2 or 3 short breaks per year.
So…my desired plan--if it can be realized--is to book a flight to DC for Christmas Eve, where I'd: rent a car, pick up my Immanuel & then drive to Culpeper, Virginia, where some very dear friends (& former Grace Church-mates) with kids have graciously welcomed us into their home for a brief taste of family Holiday cheer (& lodgings!).
Should you deem my cause worthwhile, I'll gladly welcome your contribution of any amount to help fund trip costs -- which include: 1) a roundtrip flight (increasing in price as I type this); 2) a rental car w/fuel; 3) modest incidentals for two; & 4) the fees for this GoFundMe campaign (8% of funds paid directly through this site) ... and 5) a bit of make-up pay for the extra time off. (<-- Just added this last one after realizing I'd forgotten it in my original posting. Sorry! More Cash = Longer Visit.)
If the actual cost of this trip isn't sufficiently (& timely!) met, then I plan to use whatever funds are donated for an extra-special Christmas gift for Immanuel -- or I may just choose to save it for a time next year when such a trip is more viable. (I'm hoping to have a better job situation by then!)
Many warm thanks for even reading this!
~Carlos
PS: PLEASE don't even consider giving if your situation is anything like mine! I'm not quite a member of the church at Jersulem (who were so richly blessed by the poor but generous Believers in Macedonia). I mean it; don't make me refund your money, doggonit!
I want to see if it's possible to quickly raise about $1,500 for a trip to spend Christmas with my son, Immanuel.
Now…I'm not the "asking" type.
Yet, as many of you know, the past 3 ½ years have proved financially difficult for me. Losing a great job in 2011, I had a year of unemployment, then a year of under-employment, than began the only substantial work I could land: as a mail handler with The US Postal Service. This latter gig has been a real blessing, but fraught with challenges -- including a substantial pay decrease against prior earnings.
(This means I'm still struggling to keep solvent. Incidentally, my wacky work schedule is why most of you haven't seen me at church or at Bible study in a long time.)
To meet this challenge, I've moved several times (into increasingly smaller spaces, with 1 exception) which has led to my currently renting a room (in a place that's soon to be sold). Consequently, extended visits from Immanuel have either had to be considerably shortened or forfeited altogether. Moreover, Immanuel started attending a year-round school in Spring of 2013 which only takes 2 or 3 short breaks per year.
So…my desired plan--if it can be realized--is to book a flight to DC for Christmas Eve, where I'd: rent a car, pick up my Immanuel & then drive to Culpeper, Virginia, where some very dear friends (& former Grace Church-mates) with kids have graciously welcomed us into their home for a brief taste of family Holiday cheer (& lodgings!).
Should you deem my cause worthwhile, I'll gladly welcome your contribution of any amount to help fund trip costs -- which include: 1) a roundtrip flight (increasing in price as I type this); 2) a rental car w/fuel; 3) modest incidentals for two; & 4) the fees for this GoFundMe campaign (8% of funds paid directly through this site) ... and 5) a bit of make-up pay for the extra time off. (<-- Just added this last one after realizing I'd forgotten it in my original posting. Sorry! More Cash = Longer Visit.)
If the actual cost of this trip isn't sufficiently (& timely!) met, then I plan to use whatever funds are donated for an extra-special Christmas gift for Immanuel -- or I may just choose to save it for a time next year when such a trip is more viable. (I'm hoping to have a better job situation by then!)
Many warm thanks for even reading this!
~Carlos
PS: PLEASE don't even consider giving if your situation is anything like mine! I'm not quite a member of the church at Jersulem (who were so richly blessed by the poor but generous Believers in Macedonia). I mean it; don't make me refund your money, doggonit!
Organizer
Carlos Whitfield
Organizer
Sylmar, CA
