Dear Family and Friends,
On May 6, 2012, I will be lacing up my
sneakers to run the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. And while many of you
know that running is one of the things I love best, you not be as
familiar with something else I love: the Fader family. Eric and I first
met Jason and Heather Fader when they came to live with Eric and I
briefly in the fall of 2000 in Ann Arbor while they were searching for a
more permanent home. Heather is the sister of one of my best friends,
so Eric and I were more than happy to have them be our guests for
awhile. They have been dear to our hearts ever since, and I can say
with complete sincerity that they are two of the people whom I admire
and respect most. They live out their faith and their calling with such
dedication and joy!
Here is a bit more about their story:
Both Jason and Heather Fader sensed that God was preparing them for
medical missions even as children— Heather in Wisconsin, and Jason in
Kenya, where his parents were medical missionaries.
In 1995,
Jason and Heather first met in a general chemistry laboratory at Calvin
College in Michigan. They were married shortly after graduating in 1999.
Then, while Jason was in medical school at Loyola University Stritch
School of Medicine in Chicago, Heather completed a Master of Arts in
Teaching and began teaching high school chemistry and Spanish. They
moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2003, for Jason’s residency in general
surgery. In 2005, their daughter Anna was born, and in 2009, they
adopted Abigail from Ethiopia. It was also in Ann Arbor that they met
two other families from their church who similarly felt called to
medical missions. The three families decided to begin
working together to serve God as one team.
From 2009 to 2011, the Faders and their team served at Tenwek Hospital
in Kenya. Jason and the other physicians in the group cared for patients
and also trained and discipled Kenyan interns and residents. During
those very fulfilling two years, the team added two more doctors to
their numbers and explored options where they could continue teaching medical trainees in a long-term setting.
The whole team feels
called to move to Burundi, in Central Africa, to be the clinical
teaching faculty for medical students who attend the medical school at
Hope Africa University. These eager students have had no permanent
faculty since the medical school began in 2006. This is an opportunity
of tremendous potential to train and disciple African medical students
who will be the leaders of this underserved, impoverished, post-war
nation.
Of all the many worthy causes to support, I find myself
first and foremost wanting to invest in the Faders and the McCropder
team.Jason and Heather told us recently that the entire country has a
total of nine surgeons! Can you imagine that?! Talk about being able
to fill a great need! However, given our current financial situation
(Eric in school full-time and me as a mostly stay-at-home mom to Emily
and Sophie) we aren't able to support them financially as much as we'd
like. So instead, I am pledging to fund-raisefor them while I train for
this half marathon. I think of them often while I run, and the good
work that they are committed to doing in the Lord's Kingdom.
If
possible, would you prayerfully consider making a donation to their
cause as I run to raise awareness of their good work? As little as $1
per mile that I will run (13!) would be so much appreciated.
To donate on-line, just visit this website:
http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51320
Or, if you would prefer to give or send me a check, you can make it our
to World Harvest Missions with Fader in the subject line. I can make
sure you get a tax-deductible receipt.
Thanks so much for considering! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Blessings,
Sarah
