CRITICAL ONGOING OPERATIONAL NEEDS
As mentioned, we are a small organization that runs a tight budget.
Thank you for your willingness to explore supporting this critical behind the scenes aspect of what we do.
I have this page password protected simply because I share some person facts here (both from my life, and finances).
I will be as appropriately transparent as I can here.
Coming out of college, my background was first in photography. After more than a decade of enjoying that world, for various reasons, I made the unlikely switch to becoming a staffing recruiter(2003). Within 18 months of working at a Silicon Valley staffing agency during the upswing of the Dot-com boom, I ventured out on my own and started a solo consulting business wherein I would help companies find key employees.
Fast-forward to 9/11. Everything changed. As the dot-com bubble burst and my spouse(we were newly married) was found to be having an affair, I entered into a very dark season of life as I watched both my finances and marriage crumble. This was the version my personal "twin towers" coming down.
During the subsequent years of healing and searching for my place in life, I sensed a "call" to pastoral ministry (long story...I am happy to share in person). This led me to eventually go to the Philippines on my first serve/mission trip. The experience was truly a game-changer for me.
After several international serve trips, I made my first trip to Ethiopia in 2011 in partnership with Compassion International. (Again, long and amazing story). That experience had profound impact of my worldview and I committed to going back each year. I did. You can read about how God captured my heart for Ethiopia here.
During my 2014 trip(my 4th trip with Compassion International), I developed a firm conviction that I needed to get more involved. Eight months later, I founded Arukah Global.
Since then, I have been to Ethiopia 1-3 times a year, and my wife Kimberly(meet in 2015 and married in 2016) and I find great joy in hosting serve teams that help us carryout the vision of this organization.
I've been involved in "ministry" one way or another since 2002. I've been pastoring before I was doing so vocationally. It is a calling, not a "job". I've led men's ministry at one of the south bay's largest and influential churches, played on various worship teams, helped plant a church in Silicon Valley, worked at CItyTeam Ministries for 3 years, and have been a staff pastor at 2 different churches since 2012.
Today, I work part time as a pastor at Bernal Church in south San Jose. We love our small church family and consider it a great privilege to love, care for, and teach the people in that community. My wife, Kimberly works part time at a hair salon and does side work (one client at a time) as a caretaker for the elderly. She is deeply compassionate and caring...and loves this act of service. This nurturing side of her overflows onto our Ethiopia teams as well.
For the first few years of pastoring part-time, I would work side-jobs to make ends meet. Though this provided for us, it became clear that if the wheels were not going to fall off of Arukah Global as it was getting more and more traction, I needed to dedicate a good 20-25 hours a week to running the organization. Not to mention, the necessity of making 2-3 trips to Ethiopia each year. This meant I would need to quit doing all the side jobs and develop a modest part time salary that would support my maintaining and developing Arukah Global.
My board of directors is holding me accountable to raise monthly support as to gradually build up a modest salary. This will allow me to focus much needed time and effort on running Arukah Global.
The hard reality is that in order for Arukah Global to continue to thrive and grow in its impact, my focused attention is imperative.
Therefore, as much as I'd prefer every penny I raise be used for our work in-country, this part of fundraising is necessary.
Again, being as transparent as possible: My net, part time pastoral income is about $3400/mo.
The goal is to match that net amount as my Arukah Global salary. So, at the time, $3650/mo is our target ($250 will cover payroll taxes to be paid by Arukah Global - this is the standard 50% of FICA taxes an employer pays).
At the moment, recurring donations or one time gifts allocated for salary total $2200/mo (this is my current monthly gross salary). So, i am looking to raise another $1450/mo through recurring donations or one time annual gifts I can amortize over the year).
For Silicon Valley standards, my wife and I maintain an extremely modest lifestyle. We are fortunate to be in a living situation where are rent is below market...otherwise, we could not live here.
Additionally, we have the following operational expenses:
1. Directors and Officers insurance to cover board members in the unlikely event of a lawsuit: $1600/year (most recent renewal).
2. End of year accounting (for IRS filings) : $850
3. Monthly bookkeeping: $200
We have no other employees, office is from home, and we keep things very streamlined.
If you'd like to support these critical ongoing operational needs with a recurring, or one time gift, please use the orange "donate" button on our give page. There is an option for recurring donations.
Also, I would be more than happy to sit down with you face to face, or chat on the phone in order to answer any questions.
I've also provided my cell phone number below. Please do leave a message!
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Grateful,
-Mark
Mark Lewis
Founder | President
Arukah Global 408.509.1261
As mentioned, we are a small organization that runs a tight budget.
Thank you for your willingness to explore supporting this critical behind the scenes aspect of what we do.
I have this page password protected simply because I share some person facts here (both from my life, and finances).
I will be as appropriately transparent as I can here.
Coming out of college, my background was first in photography. After more than a decade of enjoying that world, for various reasons, I made the unlikely switch to becoming a staffing recruiter(2003). Within 18 months of working at a Silicon Valley staffing agency during the upswing of the Dot-com boom, I ventured out on my own and started a solo consulting business wherein I would help companies find key employees.
Fast-forward to 9/11. Everything changed. As the dot-com bubble burst and my spouse(we were newly married) was found to be having an affair, I entered into a very dark season of life as I watched both my finances and marriage crumble. This was the version my personal "twin towers" coming down.
During the subsequent years of healing and searching for my place in life, I sensed a "call" to pastoral ministry (long story...I am happy to share in person). This led me to eventually go to the Philippines on my first serve/mission trip. The experience was truly a game-changer for me.
After several international serve trips, I made my first trip to Ethiopia in 2011 in partnership with Compassion International. (Again, long and amazing story). That experience had profound impact of my worldview and I committed to going back each year. I did. You can read about how God captured my heart for Ethiopia here.
During my 2014 trip(my 4th trip with Compassion International), I developed a firm conviction that I needed to get more involved. Eight months later, I founded Arukah Global.
Since then, I have been to Ethiopia 1-3 times a year, and my wife Kimberly(meet in 2015 and married in 2016) and I find great joy in hosting serve teams that help us carryout the vision of this organization.
I've been involved in "ministry" one way or another since 2002. I've been pastoring before I was doing so vocationally. It is a calling, not a "job". I've led men's ministry at one of the south bay's largest and influential churches, played on various worship teams, helped plant a church in Silicon Valley, worked at CItyTeam Ministries for 3 years, and have been a staff pastor at 2 different churches since 2012.
Today, I work part time as a pastor at Bernal Church in south San Jose. We love our small church family and consider it a great privilege to love, care for, and teach the people in that community. My wife, Kimberly works part time at a hair salon and does side work (one client at a time) as a caretaker for the elderly. She is deeply compassionate and caring...and loves this act of service. This nurturing side of her overflows onto our Ethiopia teams as well.
For the first few years of pastoring part-time, I would work side-jobs to make ends meet. Though this provided for us, it became clear that if the wheels were not going to fall off of Arukah Global as it was getting more and more traction, I needed to dedicate a good 20-25 hours a week to running the organization. Not to mention, the necessity of making 2-3 trips to Ethiopia each year. This meant I would need to quit doing all the side jobs and develop a modest part time salary that would support my maintaining and developing Arukah Global.
My board of directors is holding me accountable to raise monthly support as to gradually build up a modest salary. This will allow me to focus much needed time and effort on running Arukah Global.
The hard reality is that in order for Arukah Global to continue to thrive and grow in its impact, my focused attention is imperative.
Therefore, as much as I'd prefer every penny I raise be used for our work in-country, this part of fundraising is necessary.
Again, being as transparent as possible: My net, part time pastoral income is about $3400/mo.
The goal is to match that net amount as my Arukah Global salary. So, at the time, $3650/mo is our target ($250 will cover payroll taxes to be paid by Arukah Global - this is the standard 50% of FICA taxes an employer pays).
At the moment, recurring donations or one time gifts allocated for salary total $2200/mo (this is my current monthly gross salary). So, i am looking to raise another $1450/mo through recurring donations or one time annual gifts I can amortize over the year).
For Silicon Valley standards, my wife and I maintain an extremely modest lifestyle. We are fortunate to be in a living situation where are rent is below market...otherwise, we could not live here.
Additionally, we have the following operational expenses:
1. Directors and Officers insurance to cover board members in the unlikely event of a lawsuit: $1600/year (most recent renewal).
2. End of year accounting (for IRS filings) : $850
3. Monthly bookkeeping: $200
We have no other employees, office is from home, and we keep things very streamlined.
If you'd like to support these critical ongoing operational needs with a recurring, or one time gift, please use the orange "donate" button on our give page. There is an option for recurring donations.
Also, I would be more than happy to sit down with you face to face, or chat on the phone in order to answer any questions.
I've also provided my cell phone number below. Please do leave a message!
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Grateful,
-Mark
Mark Lewis
Founder | President
Arukah Global 408.509.1261