Sophia Serves in Uganda and Mexico

Dear friends,

My name is Sophia Barthel and I am twelve years old.

This year, I have the opportunity to work hard on two service projects---one with my dad in Mexico (building houses for people who are currently homeless) and one with my mom in Uganda (helping to encourage maternal-fetal health and to prevent the abuse of women and children by building secure families).

I want to serve for many reasons---I really want to help to make a difference, but I also know that I will learn a lot from the people in Mexico and Uganda. I am particularly hoping to gain some wisdom re: my deepest questions about injustice / justice, poverty / wealth, and the causes and cures for the overwhelming needs around the world. I am quite sure that my experiences on these service trips will impact the direction I head with my post-secondary educational choices because I want to develop skills that can truly help people in need.

The service project to Mexico is one that our church does every year. By the time my little sister (age 6) is my age, I hope we have built HUNDREDS of homes for people in need! 

The service project to Uganda is new to our family. My mom was asked to speak at the Maternal-Life International conference because she is a professional mediator. That means that, even though she can't help AT ALL with the medical aspects of their mission, she CAN help with the MINIMIZING ABUSE focus of their mission. My mom has already trained tens of thousands of people through her books, videos, and speaking events, and she is SO excited to work with an organization that has already trained over 250,000 Ugandan families how to avoid abuse by having the “tools” they need to discuss difficult topics and “build, renew, and repair” broken relationships through forgiveness.

(I may even get to teach the children some peacemaking skills, too!)

Will you please consider donating to these projects? Our family 100% guarantees that every penny we collect will go solely to our actual travel expenses + helping the people in need in Mexico and Uganda.

(Honestly? We are also hoping to raise additional funds to purchase medical and health supplies for the Maternal-Life International Children’s Hospital that we will have the joy of dedicating during our time in Uganda. Our dream is to only bring what we need in carry-on bags and that all of our checked luggage will be filled with strategically-needed resources for the hospital. Currently, the World Health Organization ranks Uganda's healthcare as one of the worst in the world: 186th out of 191 nations! In Uganda, one in every 200 births ends the mother’s life. We want to help to change those numbers!)

Our entire financial need at this time is $4,000 ($1,000 each for dad and me to serve in Mexico in June and $2,000 for my Uganda travel expenses). We are working very hard as a family to sell personal things of value through Craig’s List and garage sales, and we are taking on any work projects that we can, in order to raise the funds. But we need donations to raise the entire amount.

Would you like to make a donation? Even the smallest gift can make a HUGE difference!

If you have any questions for us or any suggestions as to how we can raise funds and bring supplies for the Children’s Hospital in Uganda, please drop us a note! We would love to hear your suggestions.

Thanks so much for considering partnering with us!

Sincerely yours,

Sophia Barthel

PS
This may be hard to believe, but I actually have a personal connection to the Montana-based doctor who founded the ministry in Uganda back in the 1980’s! He went to medical school with MY family doctor and then they spent decades providing thousands of safe deliveries to Montana children just like me.

In fact, our doctor actually saved both my mom's life and my life when I was born. He had to do a CRASH c-section because I was blue and non-responsive when I was born. (My first APGAR was a 2---which means I was a very, very sick baby!) and my mother's uterine artery had ruptured---which means she could have bled out.

Just think if those complications had happened in Uganda! Statistically, we both would have died.

PPS
Our trip to Mexico is in June, but Uganda is not until November. I will be SO GRATEFUL if you help me to raise enough money to pay for my airline ticket AND bring FOUR 50-LB SUITCASES filled-to-the-brim with supplies for these people in need. Thank you so much!