By Jeff Burr
Contributing Writer
One Costa senior is planning on spending part of her summer on a sunny tropical island. However, this trip is not just for an average vacation.
Senior Hannah Anderson and her sister, Costa graduate Kindra Anderson, plan on spending a three-week service mission in Haiti this summer. They will be working at an english camp run by a non-profit organization Maranatha Childrens Ministries from Jul. 4-25 in Port au Prince, Haiti. This Bible-based program teaches children English, as well as engages them in outdoor activities and religious lessons.
“My sister and I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time,” senior Hannah Anderson said. “I’ve been on cheer all four years of high school but now that I am graduating, it just happened that my sister and I’s schedules aligned.”
The Anderson sisters attend church at Oceanside Christian Fellowship in El Segundo. While Kindra Anderson is about to graduate from Oklahoma Christian University this December, Hannah has been continuing service in the South Bay until the fall when she will begin school at Dixie State University in Utah.
“God has given me the courage, strength, and passion to help others in need and share his endless love not just locally but globally,” Hannah Anderson said. “In doing so I’ll be helping others and continuing to grow in my faith.”
Hannah and Kindra have raised all of their own funds for the trip. In total, they have accumulated $4100 through sewing and selling personal handmade bags to friends, family and community members in addition to personal donations from church, friends and family.
“It all started last July with the vision of a mission trip. I was overwhelmed by the idea of raising the money but then my sister and I started to make bags,” Kindra Anderson said. “We only thought we would make and sell 10 but it turned in to making 75.”
Although most of this money will be put towards trip expenditures, the Anderson sisters plan on donating any left over funds to the Maranatha Childrens Ministries. The English Camp will then use the money to give the children attending food, school supplies and bibles.
“Last summer when we committed to our trip we started sewing bags, so we have been raising money for 10 months,” Hannah Anderson said. “We actually have extra money still coming in and all that will be used to buy supplies for the kids or donated to the origination to use for their needs in general.”
According to the Anderson sisters, although not going with their own church, they are still excited to be able to take what they have learned at church throughout their lives and pass it on to children who otherwise wouldn’t get the opportunity.
“Church has played a huge role throughout my entire life,” Hannah Anderson said.” Without God’s grace I wouldn’t be who I am today. I’ve always felt a calling for service and so I’m really excited to be able to participate in such a positive program.”
Leave a Reply