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Mission Possible

These days, the idea of traveling abroad seems as ancient as job security. But for those looking for a foreign trip that gives them the chance to help those truly in need, 417-land’s wealth of charitable organizations means there’s never been a better time to cross the border.

Dr. George and Robbin Graham spent their trip to Mexico in a remote mountain village without drinkable running water, sleeping in makeshift tents and using a hole-in-the-ground latrine. This wasn’t a family trip to the Mayan Riviera gone awry; they were there on purpose. For a purpose. The Grahams were part of a medical, dental and construction mission team from James River Assembly, and their trip to Oaxaca, the second-poorest state in Mexico, was the furthest thing from a vacation.

With as much dental equipment as he could get through customs, George performed extractions on villagers who had never received medical care. Robbin did everything from cooking to taking blood pressure and jumping rope with the kids in the village. “Just seeing the poverty, you realize that these people still have the same hopes and dreams we do, just without all the material,” says Robbin.

The Grahams aren’t new to service trips. George has been at least seven missions all over the world; Robbin has been on two. With more than 15 indigenous tribes, Oaxaca is Mexico’s most diverse state. And the Grahams experienced more culture than all their family vacations combined.

Speaking with the locals required the aid of two translators—one to interpret the tribal language and another to interpret Spanish—but the look of gratitude on the locals’ faces was never lost in translation. And the Grahams brought back the ultimate souvenir: the desire to go back. “You feel like you leave with more than you gave,” says Robbin. “You leave with the experiences of the people.”

Reach Out

Robbin credits overseas mission trips with the ability to give without all the red tape and bureaucratic restrictions that can inhibit domestic volunteer work. Going abroad with a charitable organization can be easier when you’re going through customs, and you can sometimes get better rates on trip expenses. “Whatever way you go, you need to go with the heart that you’re serving others,” says Robbin.

Fundraising and charitable donations play a large role in covering service trip costs. International volunteer Bethany Thompson has traveled to Haiti, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Costa Rica as a missionary for Convoy of Hope, a Springfield-based organization that sends teams abroad through church affiliations.

“Outreach is ongoing,” says Operations Director Randy Rich. “And Convoy couldn’t continue without the volunteers.” The organization has enlisted the help of nearly a quarter of a million volunteers worldwide, with active teams in 26 countries. Rich estimates more than 20,000 417-landers have lent their time for Convoy since its creation by Springfieldian Hal Donaldson in 1994. The immense response from the community is one of the reasons Thompson, a former Convoy volunteer, joined the staff on a permanent basis. Whether it’s accompanying a team to the Philippines or just helping load relief trucks every Tuesday night at the Convoy of Hope warehouses, the organization has seen a bevy of local support. “It’s a blessing to be a blessing to other people,” says Thompson.

Into Africa

No matter where you travel abroad, Thompson suggests going with someone who is familiar with the culture. “As Americans, we have a tendency to impose our own culture, but you have to go with an open mind if you want to accomplish things,” she says.

Few are more familiar with the local culture in Africa than Gary Skinner. Born to Canadian missionaries in Zimbabwe, Skinner started Watoto (meaning “children” in Swahili) in 1991. The Christian organization provides relief for widows and orphans in AIDS-ravaged Uganda. Watoto, which houses its development office in Springfield, places vulnerable children with a new family. The end goal of the organization is to provide sustainability within African communities.

Watoto sends about 80 teams each year to go overseas and help build villages and provide food, clothing and discipleship. The organization has partnered with local churches, including South Haven Baptist Church, Evergreen Baptist Church and Brookline Baptist Church. “Africa is looked at as a hopeless cause,” says Skinner. “But I believe we can help [orphans] have a great future. They are innocent victims of problems that adults have made.”

Springfieldian Doug Pitt hasn’t given up on Africa, either. He’s traveled to Africa for his work with the faith-based organization WorldServe International, which helps provide clean drinking water for poor countries like Tanzania, Ethopia and Kenya. The group was started in the 1980s by Springfieldian John Bongiorno, and Pitt has been to Africa three times with the project. During his 2006 visit to Tanzania, he produced a series of photographs called “The Water Project,” which was featured in 417 Magazine and helped raise awareness for Africa’s water plight. Pitt held a reception at Randy Bacon Photography in Springfield and donated the proceeds to digging a new well in Tanzania. In the future, the organization also hopes to expand its focus to malaria. “We’re looking into an affiliation in 2010 working with a malaria group,” says Pitt. “[We’re] looking for synergy with NGOs to work smarter, maximize time and physical resources and do more good with less.”

South of the Border

Locals aren’t just hopping the pond to Africa to help out. Many are traveling below the border to impoverished Nicaragua to lend their time and resources. Stacey Schultz left her successful job of 12 years with the American Cancer Society to become the development specialist for Project Hope, a faith-based Springfield organization devoted to helping destitute communities in Nicaragua. Schultz traded a comfortable salary and being one of the top fundraisers in the country for the chance to help others in the second-poorest country in Central America.
Project Hope sends on average two teams per month to various communities in Nicaragua. In 2008, nearly 400 people from 417-land went to Nicaragua with Project Hope.

Schultz says the important thing is to find a way—any way—to help. “Foreign missions aren’t for everyone,” she says. “The important thing is to do something—for a neighbor, in the community or the U.S. Don’t just do nothing.”

The Springfield-based organization The Rainbow Network has also recognized the growing need in Nicaragua. The interdenominational Christian organization, founded in 1995 by Springfield couple Keith and Karen Jaspers, exists to support villages throughout rural Nicaragua.

The Rainbow Network works in five areas: health care, nutrition, housing, education and economic development, which the organization provides in the form of micro-loans. “When you do all of those at the same time, you can create a local economy so people have an education, proper healthcare and nutrition, the chance to buy a house and start a business,” says Director of Development Ryan Owen. “If the people in the village don’t fulfill their end, it won’t happen.”

Helping communities reach sustainability is a long-term goal, and each village works just as hard for their success as the organization does. To start, a village must approach The Rainbow Network for help. Then Rainbow, which has a full staff in Nicaragua, sets up a committee of local volunteers, provides training and economic resources and gives out family loans. Once the resources have been provided and the model is set up, the community starts to take care of itself. Local volunteers do all the record-keeping, track payments and jobs and send the information back to Rainbow. Villagers are accountable to each other instead of a large organization. “Most importantly, it’s empowering for the people,” says Owen. “When they are successful, it’s not something we’ve done for them, it’s something we’ve helped them to do. They earned it as opposed to being given it.” Because of Rainbow’s model of self-reliance, the organization’s primary focus isn’t on sending teams to the country. “Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job,” says Owens.

Our Community

With so many international humanitarian groups based in Springfield, it’s hard not to get involved, whether you help raise funds to send abroad or you travel overseas yourself. George Graham and his wife, Robbin, know they’ll be attending more service trips to Mexico. “Once you go and provide care, you know they’re still going to have more toothaches,” says Robbin. “You know they aren’t going to be healed forever.”

International Efforts

Want to get involved? Of course you do. Pick a program, pick a cause or just pick a date and start doing your part to help others around the world.

Organization: Convoy of Hope

Date founded: 1994
Mission: Convoy of Hope serves several countries and the U.S. by partnering with churches and other organizations to provide faith-based disaster relief.
Get involved: There are a myriad of ways to get involved with Convoy of Hope, from church affiliations to corporate giving. Contact the world headquarters at 417-823-8998 or visit the website convoyofhope.org.

Organization: Watoto

Date founded: 1991
Mission: Watoto focuses on “rescuring a child, raising a leader and rebuilding a nation,” and the organization helps provide secure families and communities for orphaned children in Uganda.
Get involved: Donate money or supplies from their “Needs List,” or plan your own team trip to Africa. Contact the Watato Development office at 417-831-0772 or visit the website watoto.com.

Organization: Project Hope

Date founded: 1996
Mission: Project Hope works to provide homes, medical supplies, food clothing, Christian ministry and other life-sustaining needs to communities in Nicaragua.
Get involved: Learn how you can help give or construct homes in Nicaragua by calling Project Hope at 417-886-4673 or visiting pjhope.org.

Organization: The Rainbow Network

Date founded: 1995
Mission: To provide Nicaraguan communities support in the five critical areas of housing, education, nutrition, health care and economic development, ultimately resulting in self-sustainability.
Get involved: Volunteers are needed to help raise money and organize fundraisers. Call The Rainbow Network at 417-889-8088, or visit the website at rainbownetwork.org.