American League All-Star Goes to Bat for Children in Africa

Justin Masterson will represent the Cleveland Indians in the Major League Baseball All-Star game July 16 at Citi Field in New York. More importantly, Masterson is also representing his savior through fundraising efforts for desolate youth in Africa.

Masterson and his wife Meryl have teamed with Bright Hope in its Feed Their Future campaign dedicated to bringing hope to 1,400 students living in the Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi, Kenya, who are currently enrolled in one of four schools Bright Hope supports. The campaign runs through August 16 with a goal of $140,000—which will feed and educate 1,400 students for one year. The first week of the campaign has raised $18,220.

“God gives us gifts and we are to use them for His purposes,” Masterson said. “I’m looking forward to contributing to what God is doing through Bright Hope.”

The Mastersons are raising awareness of the plight of the extreme poor around the world and the positive affect the local church can have on transforming lives in those communities. Support raised for this campaign gives a child two meals a day, six days a week; and an opportunity to attend school by supporting teachers’ salaries, books, teaching materials and uniforms.

“We are thrilled to have Justin and Meryl join the Bright Hope team,” said C.H. Dyer, Bright Hope’s president and chief executive officer. “We are thankful for his heart for children in need and desire to bring greater awareness to the reality of life for one out of seven people in our world living in extreme poverty.”

In November, Masterson will join a team visiting the Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi, Kenya to serve meals, interact and encourage the children this campaign is supporting. Click here read more about the effort.  

“Meryl and I have received many blessings in this life and strongly believe that to whom much is given much is expected,” Masterson. “Bright Hope’s goal to partner with the local church to help bring transformation to some of the poorest regions of the world is something we are humbled to be a part of.”

Masterson, who has a strong faith in God, grew up in the church and strives to live out his faith on a daily basis. He and his wife have experience working with poor communities and found Bright Hope to be a natural fit for an organization they would like to put their support behind.