My first post is just a summary of what I'm doing, taken from a letter that I mailed out to friends and family. I'm copying it here for those who didn't receive it or forgot what it said.
I want to let you know about an amazing adventure that I’m about to begin. For the last four years I have been working for a great Christian non-profit, TechMission, and helping them to run a nation-wide AmeriCorps program that serves inner-city youth. While I have loved this position, ever since high school I have felt a strong desire to serve the poor in developing countries. I believe that God has given me much, not so that I can have much, but so that I can give much to others. While there are many needs around the world, I have felt personally drawn toward caring for the physical needs of the poorest of the poor. Ever since I studied civil engineering and water purification methods at MIT, I have wanted to explore how I might be able to use engineering to meet the needs of the poor. I now have the great opportunity to combine these desires through a six-month engineering internship in Uganda!
I will be interning with Engineering Ministries International (EMI), a Christian organization of professional engineers and architects, which provides free engineering and architectural design work to ministries in the developing world. In addition to full-time engineering and architectural staff, EMI thrives on generous engineers and architects from the US and other countries who volunteer their time to help complete the design projects. I am excited for this opportunity to explore how engineering can be used in developing countries and my potential role in that work in the future, while also growing in my knowledge of technical engineering and design work.
From mid-January to mid-July, I will be living in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where I will work alongside several other interns and staff in EMI’s Kampala office. During my internship, I will get to participate in two to three major design projects. My role will be to assist the engineers and architects on these design projects, including entering drawings into the computer and completing project reports. Interns are also encouraged to volunteer in other local organizations, so I am excited to see what other non-profits are doing in Uganda. I hope to use these six months to explore my next steps, with the possibility of staying longer in East Africa.
I will definitely need prayer support as I dive into a new environment and culture, work/live with new teammates, return to engineering for the first time in five years, encounter and attempt to address issues of extreme poverty, and seek God’s direction for my future. Please let me know if you would like to receive monthly email updates. I would love to hear from you and share my journey with you.
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