Support a Missionary!

Dear Ascension Community,

From June to August this summer, I will have the privilege of traveling to St. Basil's Academy in New York to serve as an intern for Project Mexico & St. Innocent Service Works' home building and service program. As you may know, St Basil's Academy is a national non-profit philanthropic center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which provides a loving Christian environment and a home for orphans, children of chronically ill or destitute parents and children from broken homes. The Academy's mission is to facilitate shelter, protection, love, and education in youth so they grow up to be healthy, wholesome, well-rounded Orthodox Christians, as well as productive members of society with vision and hope.

Due to the challenges of the pandemic and border closures, Project Mexico has organized mission trips across the country, instead of their traditional home building trips in Tijuana. My fellow interns and I will be at locations such as the St. Herman House in Cleveland, the Neighborhood Resilience Project in Pittsburg, building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Boston, and so many other wonderful service opportunities.

Most of you can't simply pack up and spend an entire summer on a mission trip. However, you can play an integral role in our Orthodox mission programs through your prayers and financial support of interns such as I, as we act as the boots on the ground, putting Christ's Gospel in action. In order for me to participate in this internship, I need to raise $6,500 by May 20th. This money will pay for my transportation to and from New York, training, housing, food and some other minimal expenses during my stay.

I know that this pandemic has wreaked financial havoc for many and there isn't a lot of extra cash to go around. However, gifts of any size will go a long way, and I consider your support an honor not to be taken lightly. But most importantly, I ask for your continued prayers this summer as I hope to fulfill Christ's calling to "defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy" Psalm 82:3.

You can donate directly online to my personal fundraising page:

https://sisw.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/williamcumbelich1 or write a check made payable to Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage.* Please write summer internship and my name on the memo line of the check. Your donation will be tax deductible. For more information, see St. Innocent Service Works & St. Innocent Orphanage website at www.projectmexico.org.

Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare, and while I'm there. Thank you for your support and may God bless you all!

In Christ,

William Cumbelich

* Please note that contributions made directly to individuals are not tax-deductible per IRS law (Pub. 526).