I love when people use their blessings to invest into the lives of others. I am generous even though I don't have a lot any (let's be honest, I'm a grad student, we know any type of student is broke) because I believe I am on this earth to serve, ignite passions, and inspire people to be fearless. I find joy in supporting causes that align with my mission.

My friend/future photographer of my wedding Billie Board is on a trip combining his love for Jesus, Baseball, and Photography. He is in DR with 8 young ball players from inner-city ATL making connections with the locals, hearing the needs of residents, talking about baseball with the children, building a home for the Jose Family, and praying for peace in the community.

I've participated in numerous volunteer trips and what I have learned from them is two things: 1. You need to go in with a closed mouth, open ears, and hands prepared to work. Understand that the people living in the situation know what is best for their community. So after listening to what their needs are, if you have a suggestion, propose it and if it is accepted great - if not, get to work!

2. Finding a way to continue that service and making a lasting impact is integral. If the site you are visiting is far: return the next year, remain in contact with the people you've met, ask how you can help remotely, or encourage friends/family to go serve. In addition, try to create something tangible or make connections with individuals that they will remember forever.

During this trip Billie Board (Tre) and the rest of the team built a house for the Jose Family. That is clearly tangible and will be a physical reminder of how much the group cared about this family they just met. In addition to the work being done, mentoring is a major component of this trip. I created Don't Die Afraid so it can be a community of inspiration.

The men on this trip are embodying the motto of DDA, "Don't deprive the universe of your amazing contributions because you died afraid," by impacting the neighborhood they are working with, each other, and those back home that they share their experiences with.

If you would like to donate to their cause, Billie Board has a GoFundMe that is only $300 away from the goal. Every dollar counts!

Have you ever been on a mission trip? If so, where did you go and what work did you do? Have you ever started a GoFundMe account, what are some advantages of raising money on that platform?