A reader writes about a chance to do a work of mercy

I don’t know if this is something you’ll want to pass on to your readers as a work of mercy, but after much prayer and discernment, I made the decision to participate in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk in Boston, MA this June. Part of my participation in this walk is a requirement to raise at least $1000 for this very worthy cause. You know my story better than a lot of people, so you will understand how much this means to me personally. The AFSP is a wonderful charitable organization who has a goal to reduce the number of deaths by suicide by 20% by 2025. Given that approximately 112 Americans end their own lives each day, if the AFSP meets their goal, that means 22 less deaths from suicide each day and a little over 8,000 in a year! What a wonderful thing that would be if they were able to accomplish it!

This walk means a lot to me for a number of reasons. My great-grandfather committed suicide before I was born, which not only meant that I never got to know him, but it created a ripple effect of denial, grief, and affected the mental health of my grandmother, her children, and her one grandchild — me. Suicide affects not only the people who are the immediate survivors, but the community at large and even generations to come. It is a horrible legacy and one that I would very much like to play a part in ending. Another reason this walk means a lot to me is because of my own struggles with major depressive disorder and the darkness of suicidal thinking. It is a kind of misery that I would not wish on the most evil person in the world. If the funds I raise via this walk can help just one person who is going through a bout of mental illness find the help they need and avoid the horrors of contemplating suicide or save them from attempting it, I will consider my efforts a huge success.

This is the link to my fundraising page. There is a donate button on the page and your readers can donate via credit/debit card or PayPal.

http://theovernight.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=13370

If you think this is a worthy work of mercy, I would greatly appreciate you sending it along to your readers. Thanks for all you do for the kingdom!

Check it out and help if you can!