Day Three: Mountain Movers Part 2

As we moved into the sanctuary for the service things were in a fog for me. I was still trying to process this amazing story from this amazing person I would be spending the rest of the week with. One thing however did catch my attention. Rev. Duffield spoke of her son, Joseph, during her sermon. I had heard stories of this remarkable young man before but never the details.

Joseph saw a special on TV one day about how little it cost to provide life saving drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. He then went to his mother and asked her to help him pen a letter to their Congressman, Representative John Spratt. While most people would have written the letter and felt they had done their duty giving a voice to the voiceless; Joseph took another step. He founded the Pennies for Pills project.

Pennies for Pills is simple. People put their spare change in jars at their local churches and stores. Joseph went to these places and explained what he was doing and asked permission. He said his goal was $2000 that he would then donate to the Keep a Child Alive Foundation. Joseph also mentioned to me that he wanted to start up his own non-profit this summer and was in the middle of researching grants.


Did I mention that Pennies for Pills has raised over $5200 and counting so far?

Did I mention Joseph was only 9?

Inspiration is all around us -- just open your eyes to see it.

I saw it in this little church who welcomed us with open arms. I saw it Joseph Duffield as he told me he wants to run for office someday to make the world right again. I saw in Joseph's Dad as he and David Bryden discussed mission work and micro-finance projects in Latin America that their church could undertake. I saw it in Joseph's younger sisters who latched onto Monalisa and spent lunch vying for her attention
and learning about another culture.

Today I got to see inspiration happen and it was beautiful.