Thursday, May 20, 2010

Paddle for Poverty

After a huge 8-10' swell threatened to cancel the Paddleathon, we went ahead on a clear smooth sunday with a 4-5' south swell pushing us along. About 25 paddlers braved the 20km from Wollongong Harbour to Thirroul beach. Highlights included rounding the Bellambi bombie and guys catching a few big waves, the three standup paddle boards, 15 of our paddlers being first timers, the supportive boat crew and the camaraderie along the way. The winners are our five sponsor kids with Compassion and 3 hours of discomfort for us, is one year of living opportunities for them.

In addition I raised some $3800 for Homes of Hope in Chile where I will be heading off on June 10 to set up a new family home for a displaced family. Mitch Anderson from the surfing centre of Pichilemu and I have been talking and he is stoked that they are not forgotten and I hope to be able to purchase new power tools for Mitch so he can build another 20 houses! It is great to encourage surfers to make a difference using their surfing in service of others. I think Jesus would want us as Christian Surfers to do a whole lot more of this!

Monday, May 10, 2010

BD Paddles for Chile

Well, after trying to avoid that nagging feeling I should be doing something about the Chilean earthquake disaster down in Pichilemu, I got the message. Ok,ok God I will go! I have decided to add an extra 5 days to my USA visitation and will be going first to Chile to build a family home with Homes of Hope. 

I have been having weekly meetings with Mitch Anderson of YWAM Pichilemu who said last week,"We have around 420 families who homes need to be rebuilt or repaired. Many are still living in tents which will become critical as winter approaches. Please, now is the time to come help!" Mitch is partnering with "Homes of Hope" http://www.jucumpichilemu.cl/homes_of_hope.html. Check out the video. 

Well this coming Sunday, 16th May I will be joining in with the 10th annual Paddleathon fundraiser with my local CS chapter. We will paddle 20km to raise funds for our Compassion kids, but I am also adding onto this "Paddle for Chile" and I want to raise $US3,000 to build a new home (yes that is all it costs) plus $1000 for some new power tools for Mitch.

This project and Mitch's 20 years of local ministry is laying foundations for future local ministry to this surfing community. I have visited Mitch a couple of times and he was our speaker at our CSI Conference in Brazil in 2006 and a solid investment. 

I currently have raised $1,500, a good start!!!! Thanks! 

Please, if you want to support the Chilean earthquake victims and me building a home with a destitute family, go to http://www.christiansurfers.net/Donate.aspx specify for `Chile aid'. Currently donations are not tax deductible EXCEPT the good ole USA.

US donors can get tax deductible donations by giving to Homes of Hope noting this for "Davis Team" http://stores.homestead.com/YWAMVA/-strse-85/YWAM-Chile-Earthquake-Fund/Detail.bok

Thanks, psyching up those paddling arms!!!!