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I wanted to let my blog and FaceBook-o-sphere know about an upcoming volunteer trip that I am taking to Haiti. I'm pasting the details below. Please let me know if you have any questions.

I am sending you this letter because I thought you might be interested in some of the details regarding an upcoming trip to Haiti that I will be taking. I stumbled across an opportunity to participate in a short term, medical mission trip with Fairfax (Va) Community Church to Port au Prince, Haiti. I’ll be gone from April 10th to April 17th.

I say ‘stumbled across’ because I do not attend Fairfax Community Church. In fact, I only found out about the opportunity because my sister who lives in Northern Virginia attended the church and sent me information about their trips to Haiti. The church is committed to sending a team of volunteers every month for 6 months. The first team was made up of mostly doctors and they assisted in a triage surgery center in Port au Prince in January. The April team will hopefully consist of a full medical ‘field unit’ who can go out into existing medical field stations and provide care. I will be assisting with French translation for the doctors and nurses who have also volunteered. Check out the following link for more information and updates: http://www.fairfaxcommunity.net/helphaiti

In preparation for this trip, I am building a group of supporters who would be willing to donate money and/or even best wishes as I get ready. Each team member needs to raise the cost of their flight to Haiti, and I will also need to get myself to Virginia to meet up with the team before we all leave together. The cost of the flight to Haiti is arranged through travel agents who are willing to offer a discounted rate to missionaries and will cost about $1200. If you are willing to be part of my support team, please fill out the attached form and return it to Fairfax Community Church by April 9, 2010. If for some reason, I am unable to go on the trip, the funds I have raised will go toward Fairfax’s ongoing Haitian outreach.

For those of you whose companies offer corporate gift matching, know that Fairfax’s EIN is 54-0895396, and they were already in our giving system here at Microsoft. If you give a gift and request a match, you can add a note indicating that the gift is for Jonathan Clark’s trip to Haiti April 10-17 Attn: Chris Wagner. What is exciting is that Laura is planning on going on a follow up trip in June, so any matching gifts could be potentially applied to her trip.

Thank you for your time and investment. I look forward to sharing with you, when I return, about my experiences and observations. I appreciate your support and I encourage you to think of me in your thoughts or prayers while I prepare for what will undoubtedly be an unpredictable and exciting experience.


Best Regards,

Jonathan
 


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RESPONSE FORM


I, _______________________________, am committed to sending Jonathan Clark on the mission trip to Haiti April 10-17:


I will support you financially. Enclosed is a check made out to Fairfax Community Church in the amount of _________________. (For tax purposes, please do not write the name of the participant on check. Instead, enclose this form with your check so the funds can be dispersed appropriately.)


Final Contributions due by April 9.
Mail to: Fairfax Community Church
11451 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
ATTN: Haiti Mission Trip