Sarah Young is on a mission from God. Young, CE’94, is a project developer for Engineering Ministries International (EMI), a non-profit Christian development organization that serves the poorest of the poor in developing countries. Since its founding in 1982, EMI has worked on more than 800 relief and development projects in 80 countries.

This past fall, Young began her 25th project with EMI — leading a team of volunteers from the United States, India and Singapore to North India to begin designing plans for a seminary that will eventually house 300 students. While she was there, she followed up on a 2010 project — improvements to a water system for a school that serves disadvantaged children.

“I also visited a WASH Program (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene) I helped start back in 2007,” Young says. The program has helped provide wells and toilets for families in 20 villages.

“That has been my favorite project. My dream all along has been to help people in North India get access to clean water and sanitation.”

“That has been my favorite project,” Young says. “My dream all along has been to help people in North India get access to clean water and sanitation.”

EMI works with thousands of volunteers around the world with a staff of around 40 professionals. As one of those staff members, Young is responsible for raising support to pay her own salary.

“My employer is not only EMI, but also about 40 families, individuals and churches who care about the work that I’m doing and want me to give from my skills to help those in need,” Young says. “I spend quite a bit of time communicating with those who support me, not just to report on the work, but to build our relationships.

“It’s like being part of a big family,” Young says of working for EMI. “Since we are a faith-based organization, we are concerned about the development of people, so that they can live in a way that glorifies God in their work, families and personal lives.”