In Haiti, two natural resources exist in abundance: heat and humidity. The wind, or any air movement at all, is rare.

I knew going into a recent mission trip that this would be true. And surprisingly, even though I worked through the heat mixing concrete with a shovel and building walls by raising cement block after block to teammates on scaffolds, I didn't complain. Instead, I sweated. I drank gallons of water, much of it warm. I unashamedly sought shade. Yes, I bordered on delirious exhaustion. And along the way, I learned that after a couple days the human body begins to develop significant sensitivity to even the slightest breeze. Oh, what a feeling when a faint flutter of wind arrived—it was like a cool shower that restored hope and renewed life!

Fundraising often feels similar—real, hard work in sweltering conditions, with little relief. When an unusually fresh breeze passes through, you can't help but take notice.

As this summer began, a college sophomore named Meagan contacted ...