WANNA BUILD A SCHOOL WITH ME?

If you’ve been hanging out with me for a while, you may know that giving has been baked into my business model since before I had a business model.

Last year we were able to fund three wells in Uganda through Holden Uganda Foundation, which was a huge privilege. When you think about it (and really, we don’t think about it enough), water is LIFE. I’m tremendously thankful for the opportunity to partner with HUF and definitely plan to build more wells in the future. That said…

As 2013 came to a close, I started to feel led (or shall I say…lead?) to a totally new giving back project.

A really BIG project.

And that’s what I want to tell you about today.

I want to (help) build a school.

THE BACKSTORY

Just as this idea started bouncing around in my head (and heart) before the holidays, I spotted some photos shared by fellow entrepreneur Lewis Howes over on his Facebook page. He was in Guatemala, surrounded by a crew of bright-eyed kiddos (who were super-excited to meet and play with the big American fella helping them build a brand new school).

I flashed back to my college years, when I went on annual mission trips to Mexico with our home church. Armed with my fair skin, auburn hair, and Spanish minor in-progress, I played the role of (a rather funny-looking) translator between my fellow Texans and the beautiful people we came to serve.

Some of these trips were medical (we’d set up makeshift clinics with nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and dentists), and others were construction-based (building homes or schools with basic cement blocks and mortar). All were life-changing.

One particular memory always stands out of the pack: We’d spent an exhausting yet transformational few days working together side-by-side, and the local pastor wanted to pray with (and for) us before we headed back home to Texas.

We all circled up beneath the stars, new neighbors and friends, and MAN. Even though I couldn’t understand everything he was saying – I felt it. Everybody did.

And when I saw the pics of these kiddos a few months ago, I felt it again.

ENTER PENCILS OF PROMISE

I reached out to Lewis, who kindly connected me with Adam Braun, founder of Pencils of Promise (and author of soon-to-be-released The Promise of a Pencil):

“PoP was founded in October 2008 in hopes of building just one school by creating a movement of people who saw themselves as global citizens, regardless of age or status.

Since starting with just a $25 deposit, [Pencils of Promise has] now built over 150 schools.

We are proof that a generation empowered will empower the world. One child, one pencil at a time.”

Pretty amazing, right?

After visiting with the team at PoP earlier this week, I knew I’d found my main “for-purpose” partner for 2014.

I’m going to raise $25,000 to build a school with Pencils of Promise this year.

Let’s keep it VERY real here, friend. Not long ago (liiiike less than a year ago), this amount of dinero was more than my take-home salary. (Part-time park ranger + college prof, paychecks of the heart…we’ve discussed this before.)

The idea of giving this much definitely feels like a stretch. BUT…

1. Hey. I like stretching.

2. I feel pretty great about where my business is headed this year ($100 from every A Course About Copy registration will go straight to this project, so if you know you want in on that, get EXCITED!).

3. I know this idea wouldn’t have been put on my heart unless it was meant to happen.

In some ways this goal is a bit intimidating. But in most ways it’s totally inspiring.

Because it scares me a little bit, I figure I should slap some public accountability on it and share it with you (and the world wide web) before I have time to chicken out – so let’s cover this one more time for good measure:

Dear World,

I’m going to raise $25,000 for some kiddos to have a new school in 2014.

Click here if you want to join me :)

Nik

I’ll keep you posted on our progress!