Dear Friends/Family,When I was 10 years old, I saw a documentary on television about youth living on the streets of Chicago for various reasons: abuse, neglect, gangs, and poverty. I was devastated to see several of them eating out of trash cans just to survive. At that moment, I realized poverty didn’t just affect people in far away Third World countries; it was a reality for children my age right here in the United States. As I lay prostrate before the T.V., I cried out to God, “When I get big, I want to help kids like this.”From that day until now, I have been drawn toward Chicago. I am not drawn because I think all children from Chicago are broken, but because when I was 10 years old, I had a personal connection with a group of kids whose potential was being squashed. These children may have lived in a different environment than I did (I lived in a rural area), but they had dreams just like me. They just lacked opportunity. This documentary challenged me to help others reach their God-given potential. For the past 16 years, I have been doing just that through two non-profit ministries (Youth Life Foundation of the Triangle and the Salvation Army) in Durham, NC. During this time, I have modeled the love of Christ and have linked families to resources empowering them to be productive members in their community.It has been an honor to serve Durham, but Chicago is a magnet that continues to tug at my heart. I have recently been presented with an opportunity to be a part of a church plant in Chicago called 2nd City Church. We will be launching an outreach ministry in South Chicago ultimately providing after-school care, teen clubs, and parental guidance programs. My position is strictly volunteer, so I am trying to raise enough funds to serve as a missionary for one year. My first goal of $5,000 will help with moving expenses and needs for my first month in Chicago. Would you please consider supporting my efforts as I make this transition? Sincerely,Christina

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