BLOG #1: My Very First Support Letter

Dear Friends,

I would like to share an exciting opportunity coming up in my life. As many of you know, I have been dancing with Eight Count (www.eightcount.com) for the past five years. We have performed and served with people all around Northern California and Hawaii. This summer, we are planning to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to teach dance and build relationships with the children who live there. We will be staying in an orphanage and we are planning to reach out to the children who live in Mathare.

Mathare is a neighborhood of slums in Kenya with a population of about 500,000 people. The whole area is approximately 1.2 miles by 0.2 miles where people sleep on cardboard boxes inside 8’ x 6’ shacks with no running water or electricity. Human waste fills up ditches and alleyways. Many adults die from AIDS, leaving thousands of orphaned small children and babies everywhere. Their schools are made up of 10’ x 12’ classrooms with mud walls, dirt floors, and 40 children packed inside. I can only imagine what it will be like to experience this kind of poverty first-hand.

I have never been on a missions trip before, but I feel a strong calling to go on this trip. In these times, where we hear about the Haiti earthquake or the Gulf oil spill, our world is suffering and lacking hope. I feel challenged to step out of my comfort zone and do something to make our world just a little bit better.

Our team is made up of fifteen people from Great Exchange Covenant Church (www.grx.org), in which six of us are dancers on Eight Count. We plan to use dance as a means of breaking down language barriers and reaching out to the children in Mathare. We want these children to know that they are loved, even by strangers like us, and that they are special. We plan on teaching dance classes and putting together dance routines for the kids to learn. We hope to use music and movement to bond with the kids. In addition, we will sing songs, play games, make crafts, and just spend time with the children. We hope that when we leave Mathare, the kids will be left with a positive long-lasting memory they can always hold on to. I am sure they will leave us with unforgettable memories as well.

I wanted to share this news with you so that you know what is going on in my life and what has been on my heart. Our team will be traveling from July 28^th – August 11^th. We are trying to raise $3000 per individual by July 25th to cover the costs of the trip. I appreciate any prayers or thoughts for a safe trip for my team. Specifically, there is an election occurring on August 4^th while we will be in Kenya, which has potential for rioting or attacks. We hope for the team to stay safe from harm, remain healthy, and succeed in building strong relationships with the Kenyans.

Thank you for your friendship and encouragement over the years, and thank you in advance for all your support. If you feel led to support me financially, or if you would like to contact me, please feel free to email gracelingyu@gmail.com.

With much love and appreciation,

Grace Yu