This is our first blog written on Thanksgiving Day, 2010.   My boys and I agreed that we wanted to make a difference in the world, so we came up with the idea of “Twelve in Twelve.”  We will travel to 12 countries in 12 months doing humanitarian work.  In addition, we will shoot a documentary of our travels with the intention of inspiring others to make similar trips.  Our itinerary is as follows:  Russia, India, China, Cambodia, Senegal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Australia, South Georgia Island, Paraguay, Peru, and finishing up our tour in Haiti.  After that, we will live in Mississippi for a month to document the poverty in our own country.

With the help of so many people and the generous contributions of individuals and corporations, we will make this trip a reality.  My goal is to encourage others to do their part in making a difference in the world.  We all know that there are huge global issues facing our planet, but so few of us are aware of how we, as individuals, can actually help.  With our documentary, I hope to shed some light on the pressing needs in different areas of the world and how someone wishing to help, could actually make a difference.

Ultimately, the goal of our project is to set up “The Twelve in Twelve Network.”   We will establish a resource to help guide and assist people who are interested in doing global relief work.  Our organization will serve as a “One-Stop” resource, for everything to do with humanitarian relief work.   We will help plan travel for individuals and families, in terms of their time commitment, low cost travel options, areas of greatest need, kinds of work the traveler wishes to perform, safety and medical concerns aboard, and setting up accommodation and/or host family situations.

I’m excited to go out and see first hand what my boys and I can do to make the world a better place.  I know it won’t be an easy trip, but I want to teach my sons to be the men the world needs. I want to teach them that sometimes you just have to stand up and take some action.  To make a difference is to live a life fully, and that is our intention.

Please join us as the Lewis boys travel all seven continents, from country to country.  We will be posting video and written blogs along the way with what we have learned, discovered, experienced, and how we are attempting to make a difference.