Dear Gehman Mennonite Church, This holiday season feels especially meaningful to me—it's my last as MEDA's VP of Philanthropy and I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we've shared together.
As you may have heard, I'll be retiring shortly after the new year. After 15 years at MEDA, I look forward to spending more time with the grandkids at our Kansas farm. I leave you in exceptionally capable hands: our talented Philanthropy, Public Engagement, and Communications team has exciting plans for engaging and growing our MEDA community. Dr. Dorothy Nyambi continues to lead the organization with vision and wisdom, and I'm grateful for an engaged board providing thoughtful guidance.
I'm grateful to my MEDA colleagues and partners in countries around the world like Nicaragua, Nigeria, and the Philippines, who are working with farmers, entrepreneurs, and growing companies to create business solutions to poverty. Their financial acumen, passion, and commitment to creating good jobs in their communities has and always will inspire me. It has been one of the great joys of my life to be part of and witness such life-changing work, and I hope you've felt that same impact through your partnership with us.
I couldn't close this email without inviting you to support our shared cause—it's a deeply ingrained habit. This year's Christmas Catalogue is one of my favorites, and we plan to gather our kids and grandkids around to let them pick items like cacao seedlings and farm training—a way to share our family's resources and hopefully create lasting memories together. If this resonates with you, I'd be honored if you'd consider giving through the Catalogue yourself, or sharing it with your family members, employees, or church community.
You'll probably hear from me a few more times before I go, but I wanted to say this now: thank you. Thank you for being part of work that has meant the world to me, and for the relationships that have enriched my life along the way. As I head into this next chapter, I hope we'll stay connected—not just to MEDA and the mission we share, but to each other as well.
Until then, blessings to you and yours this Christmas season, | VP Philanthropy, Public Engagement, and Communications | |
