Hi Friends! For those that don’t know, I have an opportunity to go with my church to Malawi this next summer, July 18-26th, 2026. We will be working with the early learning center there in Malawi, Africa, in which we have been in partnership since 2009. I have wanted to be a part of a service/mission trip for years, but the timing hasn’t been right with kids and work. As soon as I heard about this trip and that we would be working at their ELC, I felt that God was pulling me to go.

Over the last 18ish months, my family has been through A LOT! The uncle I was closest to died in January 2024. Then my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in April 2024. While she was still receiving chemo treatments, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer-October 2024. My dad was in and out of the hospital all summer 2025, following chemo and radiation treatments, and post-surgery on his cancer. In May of this year, we lost my cousin, 41 years old, unexpectedly of a heart attack. He and I grew up together, and it has been so hard. About a week before my cousin’s death, my husband was laid off after 11.5 years with the same company; and due to my dad’s cancer, we decided to close his business, which was 100% of my summer income and about 75% during the school year. Then, in August, I lost another uncle unexpectedly, whom I had been helping caretake for the past three years. Then, this past September, I lost a third uncle. It honestly sounds like I’m making this up, and I wish I was! I have never dealt with so much tragedy in such a short period of time in my life, and it has really affected my trust and faith in God, which may be the hardest of all of this to have lost. I really feel like this trip will help me reconnect with God and allow me to see what a big difference you can make in someone’s life, even when it doesn’t feel like much. I am unable to attend this trip unless I can raise the money for the deposit and receive a scholarship for the rest. Thank you so much for your support!