Samantha McCary, WesleyKU

Friends & Family- This summer I will be traveling with WesleyKU to Maai Mahiu, KENYA (yes, Africa) to work with kids with disabilities. This July, I will be traveling with WesleyKU, the United Methodist Campus Ministry at the University of Kansas, on a mission trip to Maai Mahiu, Kenya. Maai Mahiu is a rural community of about 12,000 people ninety minutes northwest of Nairobi in the Rift Valley. We will be working with Comfort the Children International, a non-profit organization focused on breaking the cycle of poverty by empowering the population in the areas of education, environment, economy, health, and community. Take a guess at which of the five I will focus on. …education, of course. I will be working with kids with disabilities in a culture the typically shuns and prevents these kids from going to school. I will also work in community gardens and soccer camps for kids. Why in the world do I want to leave the comfort of my home and go to a foreign country with a vastly different culture? Many reasons. I discovered my passion of serving God through serving others in high school when travelling to places like Mexico and New Orleans. Being able to witness the positive and life-changing effects on people I serve through hard-work, sweat, while being outside of my comfort zone is amazing. What unites individuals of all ethnicities, beliefs, religions, backgrounds, and socioeconomic status is the need to feel loved, appreciated, and supported. I am currently in my last year at KU and am highly active in WesleyKU. I decided this would be a perfect opportunity to gain a new perspective of the world and grow in my faith—between college graduation (woohoo!) and starting my teaching career (double woohoo!). This trip comes at a cost. I am requesting donations to assist in fundraising for the mission trip. The total cost of the trip is approximately $4,000, which will cover my travel, food, and lodging for two weeks. If you are able to assist financially, you can help out electronically or through snail mail. To donate electronically, click “DONATE HERE.” Select donating for “VOLUNTEER TRIP” and type “Samantha McCary, WesleyKU” in the provided field. To donate via mail, please make checks payable to CTC International, with “SAMANTHA MCCARY WESLEYKU” in the memo line, and send to: 1102 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 All donations are tax deductible. Any and every donation, even small amounts or donations spread out over time, is greatly appreciated. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I could not pass up. I will be grateful for your prayers during the weeks of July 14th-28th and thank you for your constant support! I will keep you updated on my journey to Kenya in the months to come. Sam