Mission Trip to Durban, South Africa

Hey y'all! My name is Haley. If you know me at all, you may know some of these things about me:

• I am a military spouse.

• I am a mom to two beautiful kiddos.

• I have always had a passion for working with children.

• I am driven by serving and helping others.

For as long as I can remember, I have always felt connected to children. I grew up volunteering in Sunday school classes, babysitting, and nannying for various families. Being raised in the church, I have always had a strong relationship with God and wanted to find ways to demonstrate the love of Christ by working with kids. I pursued this passion by receiving a Bachelors in Education and spent many years teaching. I love knowing that one interaction with a child, no matter how big or small, may significantly impact their future.

For many years, I have felt called to go on a mission trip, but between illnesses, kids, military life, and cross-country moves, my hopes and plans of going on one were put on hold. In August 2021, my husband got stationed in Ohio, and we moved to Northern Kentucky. We found Crossroads Church and have been so lucky to call it our second home. When I heard that Crossroads was planning a mission trip to Durban, South Africa to work with and help children, I sensed God was telling me this was my chance. This was finally my opportunity to pursue a dream that I have dreamt of for so long.

Crossroads partners with Build the Future and turns shipping containers into preschools. We will be setting up the classrooms, working with the children, helping prepare food, or planting in the community garden.

Oh, one thing I didn’t mention earlier about some things you may know about me – I do not like asking for help…so I’m definitely out of my comfort zone here. BUT I know that part of this journey is bringing others along in supporting me and the work we will be doing to serve these kids. So, if you feel led to support me as I prepare for my trip to Durban, here are a couple of ways you can do so:

1) Pray for us. Pray for our journey and our safety during travel. Pray for our hearts and minds while pouring into the lives of these children and teachers. Pray for their community and a better future for it. Pray that God is in all that we do, in all our hearts, and in all of those we are going to be serving.

2) Offer financial support. Any donations will be used for airfare, accommodations, meals, vaccines, passport, and more.

I am beyond excited for the opportunity to see how God will work through us and the community in South Africa to help build a brighter future for these amazing preschoolers.

To learn more about the group we are partnering with, visit: https://www.buildthefuture.org.za/

Thank you for your support and prayers for this journey!

Love,

Haley