Who Is Behind Giving Up To Give

If you are going to join us in Giving Up To Give, you probably want to know who we are and why we started Giving Up To Give.

We are a family of 5 living in Kentucky, where Kevin teaches at a university.
(that's us: Kevin, Oliver, Maria, Cambel, and Ada)
Oliver, who was born in the Congo, was welcomed home into our family in January of 2011.

You can probably see one reason why we feel so passionately about connecting ourselves with the Congo. Oliver's birth country will always be a part of our family and our story and we believe adoption was just one of the ways we are called to help vulnerable children.

But the burden for the Congo began even before we had thought of adopting when  Maria read about the ongoing war and devastation in Eastern Congo. This burden only intensified when we began the adoption process and learned more about the history of the Congo and the present difficulties facing this beautiful country and her people. 
Compelled by Christ's love (2 Corinthians 5:14) and believing that we are all made in the image of God and that we have a responsibility to one another, we sought to connect ourselves with healing efforts in the Congo.  

In our search, we had the pleasure of meeting the founder of Giving Back To Africa (GBA), Ann Marie Thomson. After hearing her personal story of growing up in the Congo and her heart for using her resources to empower the future generation of Congolese, we knew we wanted to be a part of what Giving Back to Africa was doing.
We have seen the innovative ways that GBA is teaching their students and the powerful effect this is having not only on the children, but on the entire community.
 Many international non profits work from a distance and fail to address systemic issues and empower people from a grassroots level. But that is exactly what GBA is doing.
GBA's work may just be in one community in the Congo, but we believe that their faithful and intentional steps in education are bringing about grassroots, systemic, and sustainable change that will reach far into the future.
You can read more about GBA here.

So that is why we are Giving Up To Give, but unless you have a personal connection to us, you may wonder why YOU should feel connected to the Congo and why you should consider Giving Up To Give.

Do you own a cell phone or laptop? Chances are the coltan used in your electronic devices came from the Congo. And it is not a stretch to say that the mining of this highly in-demand mineral was either a source for or a product of the ongoing and very complicated war in Eastern Congo.
So whether you knew it or not, you are already connected to the Congo. You already have a reason to care.

Need more convincing? Then check out the "Why We (and You)Should Care" page on the homepage.



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