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Hammond Teen Hopes To Help Needy In Africa

Story Published: Nov 26, 2012 at 5:39 PM EDT

Story Updated: Nov 26, 2012 at 7:24 PM EDT

Helen Schneider knows the next year of her life will not be easy.

The 19 year old Hammond Central grad plans to spend it on a mission trip to South Africa working in the country's largest so-called "squatter camp" - 250,000 people packed into just two square miles of space.

"It's the worst poverty I've ever seen," said Helen.

Like her sister, already a missionary in South Africa, Helen says not helping is not an option.

"So I'm not saying that I don't care about the danger, I do consider it, but I don't let it stop me," she said.

For Helen's mother, Nell, that doesn't come quite so easily.

"I do have some days where I'm not as strong, but I truly, truly just trust God," said Nell.

And she trusts Helen when she says being a missionary is her life's calling.

"People ask me, like, why are you doing this, and it's totally like this is what God wants me to do," said Helen.

But first she needs your help to get there.

The total cost of the trip is about 15,000 and Helen has raised about $6,000 so far.

She only has a month to raise the rest.

Helen is hoping to come up with at least some of it this Saturday with a pancake breakfast fundraiser at Beefer's Buffet in Alexandria Bay.

You can also make a donation by sending a check to Helen Schneider, P.O. Box 142, Hammond, NY, 13646.

If all goes well, Helen will be heading to Africa in January.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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