Did you know that nearly 1 billion people live without electricity? That means more people live in darkness today than when the first light bulb was invented, according to Watts of Love – a global nonprofit focused on distributing solar lighting and solar technologies to people living without access to light or reliable energy.
Christie
graduated from Lewis with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and
served in various roles throughout the beginning of her career. Most recently,
she worked as the first-ever HR manager for a startup company that provided
digital gaming to restaurants and bars. Helping the company grow from 30 to 300
employees, as well as building out a full portfolio of benefits for them, she
enjoyed her work – but something was always missing.
After
a few years, Christie got sick and was out of work for 6 months. It was during
that time that she took a step back to reflect and turned to God for guidance
on her next step.
“I
attended a mission trip to Bolivia in high school and fell in love with the
idea of serving as a missionary. God put that desire on my heart many years ago,
but I never pursued it. A few years back, I heard a missionary talk about a
mission trip to Uganda and it rekindled that desire. After that, I prayed a lot
and ultimately knew that me getting sick was a sign from God that I needed to
make a life change. It was a huge risk to leave my steady job and shift into
the non-profit world, but I truly felt this was my calling.”
In 2016, Christie took a leap of faith and became a special part of the team at Watts of Love based in Downer’s Grove.
The team at Watts of Love works tirelessly to provide light to communities around the globe, many of which still use kerosene or cannot afford, or do not have access to, electricity.
But light is not the only thing they aim to provide; they also give these people hope for their future. Christie and the team teach people living in these communities how to break the poverty cycle and pursue their own dreams to live a meaningful life and provide for their families.
Take
Ruth for example; after her daughter passed away from HIV, Ruth was left to
raise 10 grandchildren in a small thatch in Uganda. Last year, she received a Watts
of Love solar light, and with her savings from this new source of energy,
she was able to buy two chickens which eventually gave her 10 chicks, as well
as eggs to sell. With that money, she then purchased a pig which gave her
several piglets. She was able to raise the piglets and eventually trade them
for a cow. She sold that cow and was not only able to send her kids to school,
but also buy a tin roof for her house.
“I
had nothing before this light. I saved my money from not buying candles and now
all of this has possible,” says Ruth.
Christie is proud to be part of a team that intentionally seeks out under sourced, marginalized, or misrepresented communities that truly need their help. After all, this type of mission felt very familiar to Christie after having attended Lewis.
“I
think Watts of Love and Lewis University have many shared values. Although we
are a secular organization, we believe in treating everyone with dignity and
respect and providing a safe, inclusive environment for those we serve.”
Lewis
helped build a foundation on which Christie has built her career and found her
true calling. She even recalls a Foundation in Christianity class she
took as a student and how it has left a lasting impact on her over the years.
“The
professor gave us an assignment to visit a religious service that was not our
own. I ended up going to an Ethiopian Jewish temple in the South Side of
Chicago. That class taught me how to open my eyes to the world around us and
step out of my comfort zone, which is so critical in the work I do now.”
Having been with the company about five years now, Christie loves going to work every morning and is confident that this is exactly where God wants her to be.
To learn more about Watts of Love and the work they do, please visit wattsoflove.org.
