Shannon Reed Is A Valuable Member Of Team Haiti

It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes only one person to make a difference. That’s the attitude employed by the congregation at Lighthouse Church, as several families rally their friends to support a trip to Haiti that will allow them to build a well for a town in dire need of clean drinking water.

Pasadena resident Shannon Reed and her husband, Erik Reed, are among the volunteers who belong to Team Haiti. Like each person involved, Shannon enjoys helping others.

“For me, it was being a mom, knowing that so many children are drinking out of contaminated rivers where animals are dying,” said Reed, who is in her third year at Lighthouse Church. “… We want to let them know they are not alone in all of this.”

Living Water International is booking airline flights for the week of July 8-15, but the group is responsible for its own fundraising. Shannon and Erik have been joined by Debbie Romano, Chris Lohrmann, Susan Kolb and several others in planning five fundraisers — two at Gino’s in Glen Burnie, a night at Bowl America in Glen Burnie, a cut-a-thon at Bodyworx Spa in Severna Park and another event at Chick-fil-A.

A manicurist by day and a member of the Lighthouse nursery on weekends, Shannon has been giving a portion of her Monday proceeds to the cause. Lohrmann and his wife are selling bracelets. Romano has sold plastic storage containers.

Together they have raised $22,000. The trip is fully funded, but they are still raising money for a general fund that will allow them to provide more supplies for the people of Haiti, and they plan to leave a plaque inscribed with “Lighthouse Church” on the well.

Even though they were all members of Lighthouse Church, no one from Team Haiti knew their soon-to-be partners. “Lighthouse is life-changing,” said Lohrmann, who celebrates recovery with former addicts at the church. “It’s not just the people in this group who have come together but our families as well.”

But as the families became tight-knit, they decided they wanted to more than build a well. “We are going to teach [the Haitians] hygiene and how to brush their teeth, but we’re going to teach them the word, too,” Romano said.

Added Shannon, “I love that part of my job is teaching hygiene to my clients on a regular basis, but by teaching these women basic nail care, they can actually create an income for themselves, and their families. It’s a great, great thing Lighthouse is doing.”

Shannon relayed one story of how a well was chained, blocking 7,000 people from access to drinkable water. Shannon, Romano and Lohrmann encouraged people to pray and, if possible, make a donation of money, travel toothbrushes or toothpaste by emailing shannonreed545@gmail.com.

“When I ask people to give a donation, I like to say, ‘If you get called to donate, you can watch your donation as it helps give drinking water to 100 people or even 1,000 people,’” Shannon said.