Fundraising

Hello! Welcome to my blog! In order to go to Colombia for a year I am fundraising $10,000. Please read my letter that says more about the program, what's going on with me, and how you can contribute! I leave August 12th!

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to let you know about an exciting adventure coming up! But first an update: I graduated from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, this spring with a BA in Sociology. Throughout college I was very active in various social justice groups and became extremely interested in Latin America through my experiences of studying abroad in Ecuador and completing my yearlong senior thesis on street children in Honduras.

These interests led me to become involved with the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) of the Episcopal Church. (Some of you may remember this program since my sister Kate volunteered with them in the Dominican Republic from 2007-2008.) YASC is sending 12 volunteers to all parts of the world this year. YASC is unique in the independence it gives its volunteers, and in the way it involves communities to support the work. YASC’s philosophy is to not only foster a connection between the volunteer and the host country, but between an American community of supporters and the host country. For this reason we are required to fundraise half of the $20,000 cost of our year abroad. Volunteers involve their supporters by writing blogs to show what the work is and how it is going. A great way to nurture relationships!

I am heading to Bogotá, Colombia to do a year of volunteer work through YASC beginning in mid-August! I will be the only volunteer in Colombia (with the nearest YASC volunteer in Mexico City) and plan to live with a family for at least the first month of my year. The exact type of volunteer work I’ll be doing is not yet defined, though it looks like I’ll begin my work with a human rights lawyer. I hope to be directly connected with her work or with a related Non-Governmental Organization. I am excited to see how the work will develop since it aligns so closely with my interests!

Many people in Bogotá live in extreme need, without enough social structures to support them. I feel privileged to be able to offer them a year of service and am grateful to the Episcopal Church for providing this opportunity. I am eager to discover the kinds of things I can offer, and to learn more than I can now imagine! I know the year will be very challenging but also filled with many beautiful and unique experiences. I will give it my best!

I hope you will consider contributing to the $10,000 I am raising. There are several ways to contribute, including a one-time donation, or a monthly pledge. Materials may also be donated and in the coming months I will be making a list of materials that the diocese of Colombia needs. And of course, moral support, prayers, and good wishes are appreciated more than I can say! If you are interested in helping support my trip financially you can either write a check or pay with a credit card. These donations are tax-deductible, so please fill out the form that is included. To write a check, address it to “DFMS”, which stands for Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Include my name and “YASC” in the memo line. To pay by credit card, please fill out the appropriate form. Then, send the check or credit card form (including your tax deduction form) to:

Mission Personnel

The Episcopal Church Center

815 Second Avenue

New York, NY 10017

You will receive a receipt in the mail.

Furthermore, I will be updating a blog frequently on my adventures in Colombia in order to inform and stay in touch with everyone! The address is www.AnnaInBogota.blogspot.com. Please let me know if you would like to be a part of the mailing list for these updates by emailing me at Anna.Lemler@gmail.com. Also, please feel free to send an email anytime!

Thanks so much for your support. I look forward to being in touch with you all!

Peace and love,

Anna