I am delighted to share exciting news about Lift Up the Vulnerable’s recent expansion and hire of Robert Riggs as our Chief Operations Officer.
Rob walked through a long and intentional discernment process with me over the summer and we both kept sensing God’s nudge that this partnership was the next great step both for LUV and for Rob’s vocational journey.
I invited Rob to share more with you about why he felt compelled and called to serve with this ministry.
Rob writes,
From a young age, I saw the effects of the transformational power of love on those around me and experienced it in my own life.
I saw how my grandparents raised my orphaned and abandoned father, pouring love into his life.
I experienced firsthand the unconditional love and example of a mother who struggled with her own disability and chose to spend a 30-year career working with children with disabilities.
From their examples, I learned to always maintain hope even during dark days.
My personal life journey has taught me that meaningful and lasting peace in society starts with each individual’s growth in psychological and spiritual maturity. Change is difficult and often entails struggles, pain, and setbacks. Nevertheless, growth and change is possible through transformational Divine love as God works healing power in the hearts of individuals to build wisdom and the resilience to move forward towards abundant life.
These deeply-held core beliefs are the main reason why I am so excited to begin my journey as the Chief Operations Officer for LUV.
I consider it an honor and privilege to join hands in partnership with a leadership team of changemakers who sacrificially support bringing hope, opportunities, and empowerment to children and women who have endured some of the most difficult circumstances that a human being can experience — starvation, war, rape, human trafficking, dislocation, and homelessness.
Having worked with refugees and those suffering from homelessness in various countries, I’ve seen how despair and depression can change into hope and joy when they see a path towards educational and economic opportunities and are able to set out upon that path.
Thus, my focus at this stage in my life and career is to find creative ways to empower people through economic and educational opportunities. Thankfully, creating strategic empowerment opportunities for the most vulnerable members of society is what LUV does!
It is the opportunity of a lifetime to join with you and LUV’s team in continuing to build up and expand the effective work that has already been done through strategic planning, pioneering new initiatives, and strengthening existing programs hand-in-hand with our leadership in Kenya, Sudan, and South Sudan.
I am humbled and excited to see this new journey unfold, engaging with you, and very much looking forward to seeing how the work of LUV empowers changemakers to transform war-torn communities in the coming months and years.
I’m also excited to announce that all of our indigenous directors have gathered together in Nairobi, Kenya. Ezekiel Ayub was able to travel safely and ahead of schedule from the Nuba Mountains for medical check-ups in Kenya. We’re taking advantage of the opportunity to meet by hosting an African Leadership Summit.
Although Rob and I can’t get there in person, he’s joined the team just in time, and we’ll be using Skype to have regular meetings with the indigenous directors. Please keep us in your prayers over the next few weeks as we discern, pray, and plan for 2021.
LUV envisions a world where vulnerable children and women are empowered and, through them, war-torn communities are transformed. In these uncertain times, our work now is more critical than ever. Your prayers and financial partnership will help us save lives.
More good news to come. Stay tuned!
With LUV,
Audrey Moore
Chief Executive Officer