Where I was
In 2011, I was finishing up my last semester of college. My wife Liz and I had begun dreaming of what God’s plan was for us and what it was we desired for our growing family. Ultimately, our desire was simple; to be faithful to God’s call on our lives. We knew we were meant for meaningful work, but we didn’t yet understand what that might look like for us. Were we being called into international missions like I’d grown up in or did God have a different plan for us?
For quite some time, my mother had been pleading for me to visit India with her. She’d fallen in love with God’s work there eight years earlier and had since been back countless times. At a point in my life when I had no good excuse not to go, she and I set off for a 10-day trip in early 2011.
What I saw
It didn’t take long for me to understand just why she was so head over heels with God’s work in Pune India. The children considered her a loving mother and me a brother they couldn’t wait to finally meet. Our trip took us to multiple homes for women and children who had been rescued from situations that were incomprehensible to imagine. They were being taken into safe-homes and given a chance to hope and dream again, an opportunity for a brighter future. In the homes they were shown love and compassion that transcended the oppression they’d grown accustomed to.
Quickly it became evident that the homes we’d been working in were doing absolutely everything they could do, but each one was largely under-funded and equally under-staffed. They dreamed of eradicating modern day slavery and the systemic abuse of low-cast children, but were in dire need of support. My heart was broken and my mind was racing. What can we do? How can we be a part of this work that’s so desperately needed?
What I wanted to do
The needs seemed obvious. The staff in the homes had all the compassion and drive to rescue and care for the children, but they needed advocates. People to tell their story and the stories of the kids. They needed financial support that was sustainable and hard to come by in a country plagued by widespread poverty. So we set out to be their voice, tell their stories and create a sustainable way to help them grow the work God had called them to. In the summer of 2011, The Restoration Initiative (TRI) was born from our desire to advocate for Gods work through them.
Where I am now
Since then, The Restoration Initiative has become a growing social enterprise based in Lafayette, CO. We began a direct selling program to empower women across the U.S. to be advocates for the inspiring works we sponsor. They share the stories of those God has called us to while also raising funds through donations and sales of accessories made by Indian artisans. Recently, with the support of my wife, sister and brother in-law, we have also opened a small retail shop full of our socially conscious goods and unique vintage merchandise. We have truly been blessed and couldn’t be more excited about how God’s plans for our family here and across the globe have unfolded!
To learn more about TRI and how you can be involved visit us at www.TRIsocials.com.