This summer my husband Paul and I will travel to Egbe, Nigeria with the goal of empowering women through salon ownership. Many women in the community we will serve lack financial resources and have started to open salons in an effort to bridge gaps in basic human needs and better provide for their families. Additionally, many women find themselves as single mothers, working incredibly long hours, with minimal compensation to provide for their basic needs. These women also seek to positively impact their communities and the women around them, all while being able to provide financially for themselves and their children.

As a small business owner and Eufora business educator, I've learned how to equip a business for success through tools and systems which I hope to replicate with these women. While salon ownership in Egbe, Nigeria may seem like a far cry from traditional business enterprises, we see this as a viable and potentially thriving industry to serve women in the community. Our hope is to empower them with the tools, resources, and love to serve their neighbors and foster strong female ties through a focus on inward and outward beauty. It has been my experience that hair dressers occupy an important and trusted role in their client’s lives. Accordingly, the opportunity to share Christ's love from "behind the chair" is a very real and palpable ministry. As Christ served on Earth by washing the feet of his disciples, serving with love and compassion in a salon offers many parallels.

Further, Paul plans to assist in physical security evaluations and threat mitigation on the ground with Egbe's security team. Paul has worked extensively in Africa and the Middle East on similar endeavors training host-nation law enforcement. Paul has dedicated his life to public service which correlates well to serving individuals. Empowering the local security team with self-respect, love for the populace they serve, and the discipline to serve honorably are all tenants of Christ's commands for us. It has been his experience that the close personal relationships which develop in these fields lends itself to being open to receiving and teaching Christ's perfect love. Isaiah 6:8 captures the spirit of those that protect us, "Here I am Lord, send me."

Paul and I have travelled previously to Africa (Egypt, Tunisia) and feel well-equipped to offer our time and talent to serving the people of Egbe. We would be honored to have you partner with us as we steward your resources to this well-deserving community.