Volunteer Spotlight: Washington, DC Team Leaders
For the past five years, Brandon and Kristina have led mission teams of professionals from Washington, DC with expertise in political fundraising, communications, lobbying, legislative policy, and governmental affairs. Over the years, they have brought team members to East Africa who have worked at high levels of Congress, the Executive Branch, agricultural associations, and the private sector. We at Courage Worldwide are so grateful for this team and how they have supported Courage and served alongside our girls and staff. Here are their reflections from their time at Courage House Tanzania.
Falling in love with Tanzania is easy but hard to describe. We have spent a lot of time trying to understand our passion for this wonderful part of East Africa since returning from our latest trip volunteering at Courage Tanzania. Our entire relationship with Tanzania is centered on Courage Worldwide and their work to reclaim what has been stolen and destroyed. In 2016 Kristina served at Courage House Tanzania for a summer; in 2018 we both spent a week there serving; and last year, we brought a team of 12 friends from Washington, D.C. to volunteer alongside Joel and Stephanie. The juxtaposition between Mt. Kilimanjaro’s beauty and the evil that goes on in Kili’s shadow is both heartbreaking and incomprehensible.
Courage works tirelessly to liberate the oppressed. We have seen first-hand how the love of God – working through Joel, Stephanie and the Courage staff – gives life to the lifeless and gives a future to those who need it most. The girls who come to Courage House are tired and broken, carrying baggage of trauma and pain. Courage dusts them off and loves them back to life.
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Exercise class with the girls, led by a member of Brandon and Kristina’s team!
Our interactions with Courage over the past 4 years have given us life and a deeper calling to help those in need. The girls we have met over the years keep us up at night – not with thoughts of their past or with sorrow for their pain, but with an excitement for their
future and the hope of new beginnings for our sisters half a world away. We know, having seen it with our own eyes, the tremendous impact Courage has on the lives of those they serve.
Our hope and prayer is that Courage would continue to grow and new girls would get to experience the loving help that Courage provides. Our plan is to go back in the years and decades to come to serve the mission that Courage is on. We want to go back and spend time helping and supporting the most beautiful part of the most beautiful country – and the reason we fell in love in the first place – the girls of Courage.If you are a Courage supporter, thank you. If you are thinking about supporting Courage, please do! You are not just supporting a cause by donating to Courage – you are investing in another person’s life. And investments like these always pay off.
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Mark your calendars! Next week on May 5th, Courage Worldwide will be standing together with organizations all over the world for Giving Tuesday Now – a special day of giving at a time more crucial than ever. Our goal is to raise $25,000! Keep your eye out for a special update this week and more information about this global fundraiser.
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