Getting Ready

I have been assigned to go to Kenya as a Young Adult Volunteer through the Presbyterian Church (USA). I will be living a simple life in Nairobi while working for Church World Service as a communications manager. I will live in community with Kenyans and be able to visit the many programs that CWS provides around East Africa in order to write about them and promote them to American contributors.

So far I have been getting ready to do this work by getting the proper vaccinations, researching CWS and the regions they work in in Kenya, and asking for support from my friends, family, and church family. I know I will need a lot of moral support, as I have never been to Africa and will be working with all new people there. I know I will learn a lot through the experience and look forward to understanding more about Kenyan and African culture and values as I get to know the people I am in community with there.

I will also need financial support in order to servive as a volunteer there for a year. Second Presbyterian Church has graciously donated $4,500 of the $9,000 I need to raise as my half of the contribution to my living costs in order to do this program. Now I am trying to reach my friends and family (you!) in order to raise the other half of my funding goal. You can contribute to my fund by clicking on the "Make an Online Donation" button on the right or the "Mailing a Donation" button to send a check. If everyone I am contacting donates $30, I will have enough to cover my fundraising goals.

It would be much easier for me to send out an email every time I post a new blog instead of making all of you create blogger accounts that you may not want. Please send me an email with your name, email address, and home street address so I can send you updates and letters while I am in Africa. Send this information to bensnipes@gmail.com

Thank you for checking in with me! I hope to hear from you soon!

Ben