Due to the nature of our upbringing, my husband, Josh, and I developed a non-profit from the ground up in Charlotte, NC called The Abandon Project. Our mission is to serve at risk communities that are not able to access basic needs and resources that would allow for a successful future. A few years ago Josh and I moved into a low-income area in the East Charlotte community so we could “put our money where our mouth is”, so to speak, and show our friends that we are willing to struggle with them. We believe this grass-roots, sustainable approach helps create raw and real diversifying change.

One of the most pertinent needs we see in our community today is the necessity for knowledge about health and wellness. Over the course of my time in East Charlotte, I have experienced situations where single mothers have bought into the lie that to feed a family of five on a family-of-two budget, they can only afford frozen chicken nuggets and oodles of noodles. This form of dieting has caused children to incurre type 2 diabetes, rotting teeth, and weak bones because they are not provided the proper nutrients required in a daily diet. The lack of education leads to a deficit in the knowledge of what a truly healthy lifestyle looks like. Along with this, much of the epidemic here in East Charlotte comes from a long line of generational misconceptions on dietary needs.

Though it will take a lot of persistent effort to break generations of bad habits, I am committed to providing this community with the resources they deserve. I have decided to pursue my masters in nutrition so that I can provide this community with these much-needed resources in order to ensure a beautiful future. Pursuing a masters in nutrition has already taught me so much about how I can change these communities’ lives for the better, and I believe that being certified through the Nutritional Therapy Association (which I will be in October) will only better my chances of combating the various diseases and lack of “wholeness” this community has.

I created a  “health initiative” for our community in East Charlotte about two years ago and have had weekly and sometimes bi weekly meetings with elementary to high school students, as well as with many mothers in the community. Not only do we cook, but we also participate in physical activity together. I  provide health education classes for older children and their mothers. We learn how to cook healthy alternatives, and in turn cook these meals for the families in our community. At our weekly cooking class, we learn about proper nutrition, why we need it and we learn the necessary cooking skills so that we can create these meals for ourselves in our own kitchen. Not only do we learn about cooking, we also learn about mental health and physical activity. We are so humbled to say we have already seen so many success stories because of the power of this community gaining this knowledge. Mothers are now starting to come to me requesting recipes for their children and asking when we are able to come and cook and teach them again. I get text messages about these mothers increasing their water intake and pictures of healthy recipes they are now feeding their families! We have also partnered with a local meal prepping company who donates wonderful meals to these families that are fresh and locally prepared.

I have a lot of dreams for my community, some that seem overwhelming at times. I know though, that as long as I continue to show up and stop for the one that is all that truly matters.  My organization has dreams of reaching so many more people in order  to pursue the hearts of others who otherwise would have no hope for their families or their families’ futures. I hope to fine tune a sponsorship tool in order to bring the upper and middle class communities together with my community to find a sense of unity. The idea of individuals coming together and pouring into one another is a huge piece of becoming “whole” and towards solving that divide. I would love to see partnership/ sponsorship opportunities coming out of this. Where individuals in the upper/middle class are able to sponsor those who might not be able to afford a health coach, and in turn we all begin to develop relationships with one another and push each other towards the same goal, health and wholeness.

We have also officially begun our community garden, more on that in a future post! I can’t wait to see my family get their hands dirty, find their worth in the soil and learn the value of nourishing their bodies from something they cultivated themselves. Thanks to the NTA Global Fund I am able to see some of my dreams come true in our community and I can’t wait to share!

Even though there is a long road ahead, I will count myself successful if I can even just give one person hope for changing his or her own life for the better.

Below is a blog post I wrote while living in Pemba, Mozambique 4 years ago. When I describe my time there, I tell people that this is where I was given new life, where I was re-born. Lately, I have been struggling with my purpose, better yet, what I want my story to be. When I went back to read old blog posts I stumbled upon this one, at such an appointed time. I was quickly inspired by my own words and belief and was quickly reminded of what my purpose truly is. Read to the end to find out ❤️

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30 days and counting without running water, strategically hand washing my clothes from a dried out well, drinking through a life straw, being stung by killer baby ants, taking bottle baths, eating with my hands, eating more bread in a day than you could imagine, being attacked by crazy African bees, exhausted from the heat, worrying about malaria and worms, running up a steep hill to the latrine just to go to the bathroom, being caked by red dirt and sweat, being consumed by the smell of garbage, diesel and feces, yet still I’m more in love with Jesus, more than ever captivated by the smiles from an orphan who is adopted into a family of Christ, taken by the hand holds walking back from town by sweet Mozambican children, praying for the crippled man out side of the super market, kissing the cheeks of sweet old mamas who work long hours each day to provide for their children, and weeping while my feet are being washed by a Mozambican man training to be a pastor after years of abuse makes me count all of the hard things as amazing, unexplainable joy. Learning Gods heart in a mission school while doing missions enables you to learn about our creator while stepping into his heart as well. My life is already changed after a month because I have met Jesus in such a tangible way here. I’ve met him through the village people, the other harvest school students, and the 11 other girls I live with from 5 different nations, and trust me that isn’t easy, yet we are so united as sisters.

Along with the harvest school here in Pemba which has 300+ students from 40+ nations, they also have a Mozambican bible school that takes in mozambican men who have dedicated their lives to Christ and over the course of 4 years trains them to be mighty men of God to take back their nation!

I tried to think of one of the MANY amazing experiences here to write about that could sum up my experience so far, here’s a good one:

A few weeks ago I got down on my knees in front of a mighty man of God, one of my Mozambican brothers. I felt so unworthy to be in the presence of a man who has been through so much poverty, abandonment, starvation, and harm, yet he chooses to praise The Lord. I couldn’t help but to weep in his presence. I knelt down below, holding his feet and I prayed for The Lord to make me love and believe like he does. Depend like he does. I wept as I washed the dirt off of the most precious feet I have ever seen. I look up to see such a sweet illuminating spirit. As we switched positions and the Mozambican brothers knelt before us I then understood real love. I saw Jesus in them. Jesus was about to wash my feet. I was so overwhelmed with the love of the father, with the vast anointing he has laid on my Mozambican brothers. It was so unbelievable in the natural, but in the supernatural such a beautiful representation of how Jesus humbled himself in front of sinners. Jesus in front of me, taking his time, washing beneath my feet, and between my toes. Kneeling before me crying and praying over me. I can’t even explain the colorful healing that was taking place in my heart. The fire fell that day.

Jesus takes his time, he goes low and slow. He washes between the cracks, removes and dirt, and makes us pure. When we allow our selves to be positioned in the center of Gods holy heart we remember why we are here. We remember the beauty and unconditional love that Jesus showed by dying for us on the cross.

Jesus, you bring such an exhilarating thrill to my heart and life. I long for a love like they have for you. I’m so touched. To be in the presence of the most precious men I have ever seen washing my feet, to be able to get on my face and weep a heart wrenching weep in the presence of men who embodied my savior even through heart ache and pain. What an honor that was and will ever be. Thank you my sweet papa God.

So this is where my heart was born. This is when I realized I was made for more than just doing normal life on this earth. I was made to love and to be loved by our mighty father. So my heart is for adventure with Jesus. Taking the adventure to love his children no matter what the cost.