When you reach out as part of the Senegal Connection, your efforts are magnified because of the number of people participating in this ministry. And the more who join, the broader and more effective your reach. We really can’t do this without people like you.
There are no registration forms to fill out, no membership cards. You join the Senegal Connection simply by doing one thing or many things through this ministry. How you participate is your choice. Whether you are participating as a Travel Team member or are simply praying for the Travel Team, or you choose to sponsor a student or donate toward school supplies you are making a vital difference for families and individuals waiting to hear the message of God's hope.
Here are some opportunities for connecting with Senegal:
Pray
You can pray in general for this ministry; you can participate in the Prayer Vigil while a Travel Team is in Senegal; you can pray for specific requests that will be posted from time to time on this website; you can pray for a child from our sister village Diaglé (Jog-a-lay) or sponsored children, whether or not you’re a sponsor; or you can pray for our American and Senegalese ministry partners.
Give Your Time
Your actions speak louder than words! You can help provide transportation for a Travel Team to and/or from Sea-Tac Airport. It is a great joy to give our team a great send off and welcome home! You can assist the stay-at-home families of the team members by providing rides, meals, and helping with scheduled activities. You can share notes of encouragement for the travel team as well as help shop for specific items requested by the team as the prepare for their trip and provide other assistance as necessary.
Give a Financial Gift. A tax-deductible donation of any size helps further this ministry.
You can make a tax-deductible donation online using the 'Make A Donation' button below.
You can also mail a check, made out to Mountain View Presbyterian Church, with a note that it is for 'Senegal Connection' to the church.
Supplies and gifts
Your financial gift can help with supplies, building projects and other essential needs in our sister village of Diaglé (Jog-a-lay), as well as nearby Bethesda School in Kaffrine, Senegal. Bethesda is a private Christian school that provides elementary-level grades and Bible education.
Sponsor a child
In partnership with GO on the Mission, Mountain View can help you sponsor a child attending a Christian school in Senegal. Your gift helps pay for the student's tuition, uniform, supplies and nutritious food. The long-term goal is to break the cycle of poverty in the child's life.
As a sponsor you make a monthly donation ($35), pray for the child and exchange letters and photos. When a Travel Team goes to Senegal, you also have the chance to send along a "gift bag" (crayons, small toys and other items) to your sponsored child. Sponsorship opportunities open up periodically.
To learn more, contact the church office or email Vicky Hardt at rvhardt@yahoo.com.
Travel expenses
A Senegal trip costs each Travel Team member close to $3,000. Your gift will help ease this personal expense.
Become a Senegal Travel Team Member
This is a small group that makes the 12,000-mile round trip to Senegal. It’s generally a different group each trip, comprised of new and veteran members. You’ll have a firsthand opportunity to serve, pray, and build relationships with students, families, and individuals, including our ministry partners. Each team member is responsible for their travel expenses (generally about $3,000), which can be augmented with donations. Travel Team members begin meeting with the Planning Team a few months to several weeks prior to a trip for orientation, team building and planning purposes. If you are interested in becoming a Travel Team member, please contact Todd Leighton at leightonfamily@comcast.net.
Become a Senegal Planning Team Member
This is the core group that handles all the logistical, planning and administrative aspects of the Senegal ministry. The Planning Team generally meets one to two times a month. For questions or additional information concerning this particular team, please contact, Todd Leighton at leightonfamily@comcast.net.