A new opportunity presents itself

Well, I’m back from the bachelor party weekend and, without spoiling the “what happens at the party stays at the party” rule, I can tell you that not only did I end up having a great time, but the weekend exceeded my expectations and fell well short of the fears and anxiety I had about it. Again, a great time celebrating my brother, spending time with him and getting to know some of his close friends a little better.

But on to other news- something that was in the works before this past weekend (and that I didn’t want to share here until it came together) has come to pass- I have accepted a new job as the Development Director of the John Dau Foundation. You can read more about the specific projects of the foundation on the website, but it is an organization that is involved in providing medical services in the South Sudan, founded by John Dau, one of the Sudanese “Lost Boys” who fled the conflict in his country and ended up in Syracuse, New York. His remarkable story was part of the documentary “God Grew Tired of Us,” and he’s dedicated his life’s work since to rebuilding his country and helping it’s people.

I first had the pleasure of meeting John when I was in high school- the church my family attended was a sponsor of several of the Lost Boys, including John, and so church members would help them find apartments, drive them to job interviews, and host them for dinners and include them in family events. My father became involved as a volunteer to drive them around and one day we hosted them for a lunch after church. We played basketball, laughed and shared stories, we got to hear about their journey, and what they wanted to do next. John was so passionate about giving back, and it’s one of those things that stays with you.

Right now the job is part-time, which means I’ll still be working with my father and my brother part-time in my current role. I’ll be working on fundraising and donor outreach from the U.S. and will also be in charge of marketing JDF- from the social media pages, blog and the foundation website. I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity, and can’t wait to get started. More to come, I’m sure.