I have been passionate about Hope for the Island since my first visit in 2003. After marrying my husband, Shawn, in 2008 I talked about it enough to convince him to take a look for himself. In 2009 the two of us traveled to the Philippines for 3 weeks. Shawn is passionate about surfing and was delighted to surf with the local guys and even with Derek. I believe he was in the water so often that his neck needed some serious chiropractic work when we got home! His passion for Hope for the Island was ignited and we were now stronger together.
When we returned home we had a group of friends and family over to talk about our trip and some needs of the ministry there. A generous friend was able to buy a new truck for Hope for the Island and others have become very committed to helping us ship boxes of supplies. My husband was never very excited about shipping food, school supplies or other necessities. His heart was still with the surfers and he wanted to find a way to pour into them.