Rappel down the side of a building to raise money for children?! I’d never heard of such an idea, but it sounded great to me! I’d get to challenge myself, do something fun, and help children all at the same time.
My fundraising goal was $1,000, and I decided to accomplish that by asking for donations as gifts for my upcoming 40th birthday. It felt so special to do something meaningful for my birthday. Instead of getting gifts of material possessions, I knew that each dollar coming in was helping children. Helping children in poor and underdeveloped countries to have proper nutrition, obtain academic tutoring, receive meaningful mentorship, and more. My birthday had a purpose, and it was rewarding to look outside myself and bless others.
Once my friends and family found out about the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others by donating, it didn’t take long for the $1,000 to come in. I simply sent notes to friends and family, shared about it on social media, and talked about the event whenever the opportunity came up.
There is something so special about being a part of something bigger than yourself—knowing that by stepping out in faith, you can be used by God to make a difference. It was also a great opportunity for my family to serve together and to help teach my children the importance of selflessness and service. We all helped on the day of the event in whatever capacity was needed and it was so much fun.
While I don’t necessarily get nervous doing this kind of activity, it blew me away watching people who were terribly afraid of heights push past their fear and rappel—all for the sake of the children. It meant more to them to help their brothers and sisters around the world than be comfortable on the ground. The relief shown on their faces when they finished was to be expected, but the joy of knowing they had pushed past a fear and helped people in need was beautiful.
The event itself was so fun. Delicious food and drinks, games, fellowship, music, and more. I loved how people who worked at the building itself got to hear about what Forward Edge was all about and ultimately about Jesus.
I highly encourage everyone to participate the next time Forward Edge does this event. The amount of effort it takes to raise the money, and the amount of time you’re rappelling, is very small compared to the lasting impact it will make on precious lives around the world who are living in difficult and unfortunate circumstances. Each dollar raised provides another opportunity for someone to hear about the incredible love of Jesus. Rumor has it we’ll be doing this event again in 2023 and I hope you’ll join us! Take a leap of faith, have some fun, and change a life in Jesus’ name!
The decision to join a mission team It all started with two sisters who chose to go on a mission trip to Nicaragua. Val spontaneously joined her sister Donna at a trip team meeting, and decided during the meeting that she too wanted to serve with the team. A Humbling Experience During
In the extremely poor village of Kijabe, Kenya, there lives a crippled widow named Mary. After her husband died of AIDS a few years ago, she struggled to find food. While she suffers from HIV, too, Mary’s greatest challenge is a nerve problem in her legs. She has to use crutches
Sell a Home, Save a Child (SAHSAC) Member Troy Daniels, accompanied by his business partner Veronica, joined us on a mission trip to our Mexico children’s program, Trigo y Miel and the Siloé school, to witness the direct impact of his contributions. In our interview, he shared his experience, his
The Road to Today “Imagine a young girl forced to grow up inside a garbage dump, exposed to extreme filth and severe malnutrition, at risk of physical abuse, rape, drug abuse, pregnancy – and even being sold into prostitution by her family for first access to incoming garbage.” These were
12 yrs. old
Entered the program: January 2017
Frantz Kervens lives with his parents in a new 3-room house built by Forward Edge after the earthquake in August 2021. Frantz Kervens’s mother sells used clothing as a street merchant and his father hires out himself and his motorcycle as a taxi driver to provide for the family.
