Thursday, January 22, 2009

Getting ready to go to Kentucky

On February 15, I will be going to Lynch, Kentucky on a missions trip with a group from church. Here is the information/support letter that i'm sending out this weekend...


January 23, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

You may remember that two years ago, I went to Gulfport, Mississippi on a missions trip to do disaster relief work in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My experience in Gulfport was a life-changing experience for me and many of the other men who went. Ever since that trip, I have looked forward to the next opportunity that God would give me to serve Him in this capacity. I now have the opportunity to travel to Lynch, Kentucky with a group from my church.
Harlan County, in which Lynch is located, is ranked as the 17th poorest county in the entire nation. It has a median income of just over $18,000 per household. The town of Lynch is an old coal mining town with a population of about 1,000 people, and it has a poverty rate of almost 50%. We will be going to Lynch for the week of February 15 with an organization called Heritage Ministries. Heritage is located in Lynch, and is an organization whose main work is home construction and repair projects in the immediate area. Most of the homes that Heritage works on are owned by very poor people, widows, and people who are disabled, many from mine related injuries. We will be helping to work on many homes that need upgrades just to make them safe for the people who live in them.


There are two areas in which I will need support for this trip. First and foremost, I am seeking your prayers while we are gone. Please pray for safety, good travel, and most importantly, that God would use us to show His love to the people of Lynch. Also, please pray that we would have the opportunity to share the Gospel with people we come in contact with. If you would be willing to commit to praying for us while we are gone, please contact me and let me know about it.
Secondly, each person going on the trip needs to raise $500 in support. The money will be used for travel expenses, lodging while we're in Lynch, purchasing building materials, and food. If you would be willing to contribute towards the trip, please let me know, or you can send a check to my church, Lafayette Federated Church, 180 Route 15, Lafayette, NJ 07848. Any support amount would be greatly appreciated!

If you have any questions, or would like any more information about the trip, please e-mail me at
jeffdanielle@hotmail.com, or call me at home, and I'd love to answer any questions that you might have.

In Christ,
Jeff Colarusso

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