|
|
||
Stafford County native sought something more fulfilling and ended up helping one of the poorest nations in the world Date published: 6/20/2009
By CATHY DYSON Three years and four jobs after college graduation, Hunter Willis realized he wasn't happy in the corporate environment. He was looking for something more fulfilling, when he went to a church service and heard a speaker talk about life in one of the poorest nations in the world. Willis took a leap of faith--and a withdrawal from his savings account--to go to western Africa and help people he didn't know even existed. "I had started this spiritual journey, and this really centered me," the 25-year-old said. "It made me realize that money and the American dream aren't necessarily what life is all about." Willis, who grew up in Falmouth and graduated from Stafford High School, went to Burkina Faso, a nation north of Ghana. For a month, he lived in the country with the lowest literacy rate in the world. One of every nine infants there dies. Natives try to grow enough food to survive, but lack clean water and proper sanitation, according to the World Food Program. French is the official language, and Willis is fluent in it, so he was able to speak to residents and teach English. When he returned to Richmond, he devoted his full-time attention to raising money for a school and medical program there. He's raised about $10,000, toward a goal of $50,000. That money will help expand the Evangelical Language Center, which teaches basic skills to about 140 children who otherwise would receive no education. The money also will provide medical care for about 200 children a year. Willis has no regrets about trading his $35,000 salary for a position that offers no pay. Nor does he mind his "minimal existence" of no social life, living with friends from church and eating a lot of rice and canned goods. He jokes that he's helping provide medical care for children in Africa, yet he can't afford to go to a clinic. "But this is what I was called to do," he said. "This came into my life, and I had to respond to it." As he has asked for help for the country and shown a video, Web site and brochures he produced, Willis has been amazed by the compassion of others. Fredericksburg-area Rotary clubs were particularly generous and donated $4,000. His father, Chip Willis, is past president of the Rappahannock Rotary Club.
Date published: 6/20/2009
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
||||||||||||||||
