I have always felt my mission was to love. I was created as a human being with great empathy and a passion to fight for injustices in this world. I have had a tumultuous relationship with church and religion, but never once did I forget Jesus and his love for the misfortunate. I desire to make a difference in the lives of other: my friends, my family, those with disabilities, the next generation, and my neighbor beside me.

Bridges’ of Faith focuses on the ideas presented in James 1:27 especially focusing on taking care of orphans in their distress. We focus on the orphan part. Seeing the children come through the doors of our camp ground is seeing little miracles. They come in guarded and hard, and we are able to show them that people can have good hearts and that they are wanted. We literally spread the love.

It’s hard to narrow it down just one. I have learned so many lessons! I have grown in my profession as a grant writer, but more so I’ve grown as a person. We always talk about how we change these children’s lives but in reality they also changed us. I have learned that I can work with teenagers and I have come to the realization that even though I have a chronic illness, I do want children. God used these orphans to tell me things and I never expected to hear.

With a 140 acre campground and expenses that transcend continents, monetary donations are big thing. Each staff members raise their own support; we get no salary. It says a lot about our passion that we put aside the comfort of money to change the lives of children. I am currently trying to raise fund for my mission to the Ukraine

But there are great needs other than money. We can use people’s gifts in many ways: people to prepare meals, people to stay with the children over night, people to host children when we travel, and people to just come and play with the children. We need people to come show these children love, to help them to see that there are other ways of life they can achieve with love and support.

This work isn’t easy. When the kids are here, I am with them from 8 am to 8 pm and, when we travel, I am with them 24 hours a day. You see the pictures of smiling faces, and it seems like it is all laughs. Orphans have a host of issues that people have to realize and help these children cope with. These are not “bad’ children, they just need guidance and love. They need special people who don’t write them off just because they don’t realize how to act when not in the orphanage. While they are just here for a month of time, it allows myself and others to interact and give them a strong adult figures.. It is physically and mentally exhausting but it is worth it.

Monetary donations can be made through our website or by check, Visit www.bridgesoffaith.com and click donate in the right hand bouton to give electronically .Checks can be sent to 302 County Road 383 Billingsley AL 36006. Checks are always good because it’s an easy way to designate gifts for a specific need.

Clothing donations can be made to that address as well. We are always looking for clothing for the children.

In the latest group that came in December, I met a twelve year old boy. He liked comics and movies like I do. We quickly connected. I can’t even remember the movement it happened it was so natural. Within the first week he opened up to me. We were riding one night in the van and he laid his head in my lap and went to sleep. He trusted me so much that he knew he would be safe in his sleep with me; he didn’t have to worry about what other children might do to him. His birthday was while he was here and with the staff’s help, we threw him a birthday party like he had never had: cake, games, and presents. For the rest of the month, we were often together and at our last church service he held my hand and told me not to cry. Instead he made sure that I sent him millions of pictures to his Facebook account so he could have them. I was blessed that he chose to open up to me. It brings happy tears to my eyes just thinking about him.