Hey guys! It’s Nicole!

I am currently a junior at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As many of you know, I am a Social Work major and a Spanish minor. This fall semester at ORU I interned at a children’s shelter called Laura Dester Children’s Center. This is an emergency shelter in Tulsa where kids go when they have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or foster care placement disruptions.

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I learned a ton at this shelter, not just about social work, but also about advocating and serving the poor. It was a great experience! My next adventure will be studying abroad in Costa Rica for two months during the summer of 2013! Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical country in Central America, right smack dab in between North America and South America.

During the first month, I will be taking Spanish classes at the Universidad de Costa Rica
The second month, I will be interning at a missions organization called the Abraham Project. The Abraham project is a nonprofit organization that operates children’s homes, a daycare, and a church. It also offers vocational training and legal consultation.

This trip is extremely important to me for a number of reasons:

• I absolutely LOVE the Spanish language. I really want to become fluent in Spanish. The ability to speak in Spanish will help me in a variety of settings, both professional and informal. I believe that spending two months submersed in a Spanish-speaking country will definitely help develop my Spanish skills.
• I want to do international social work at some point and this will give me a snapshot of what that will be like. I am very excited to work with the Abraham Project where I will be able to give tangible & practical services to the poor, which is my passion!
I love learning about different cultures.I want to make sure that I take advantage of the opportunity to go on an ADVENTURE before I graduate.
• And of course this trip is required in order to complete my minor degree in Spanish. I’ve got the vision for my future, now I just need the funds.

I need to raise $1,925 by the end of March in order to make this trip happen. It may sound like a lot, but I strongly believe that it is worth the investment. If everyone were to give just a little here and there, this goal could definitely be achieved. Please remember: I can’t do this without YOU. Everything helps.

Even the smallest donations can accumulate to something great; please don’t feel as though your small contribution does not matter. Your giving encourages me because it shows me that you believe in my dreams. Thank you for being a part of my life. I appreciate each individual family member and friend taking the time to read this.

If you have absolutely nothing to give, your prayers will be more than enough. Please spread the word if you know anyone else who might be able and willing to help out. Please help me to fulfill a desire that I believe God has placed in my heart. Please believe with me that I will be provided with all of the resources I need to go on this trip.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” — 2 Corinthians 4:18

Much love and gratitude,
— Nicole Williams

Please mail checks to:
Nicole Williams
ORU CPO Box 71-0034
7777 S. Lewis Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74171