Former Peabody-Burns High School student Nicholas Whitney is a fourth-year architecture student at Kansas State University. He and his fellow students are required to spend the spring semester of their fourth year, studying abroad or serving as an intern to an architectural firm.

Whitney has decided to accept an intern position with Engineering Ministries International. He will spend 30 weeks with EMI through their Kampala, Uganda office.

“Most of my classmates are traveling to Italy to study ancient architecture,” said Whitney, “but God has something different planned for me.

“EMI is a non-profit Christian organization that offers free design services to other Christian organizations in the developing world. In doing so, their mission spreads love, hope, and the gospel of Jesus Christ to physically and spiritually impoverished people across the globe,” he said.

Engineer Ministries International has served in more than 85 countries and developed more than 700 projects for local communities. Whitney will provide the same type of service during his semester in east Africa.

Projects to which EMI engineers contribute include hospitals, orphanages, churches, schools, and clean water systems.

“Most of my work will consist of architectural design and drafting in the Kampala office,” said Whitney. “However, I also will travel to other areas of Africa for client visits and meetings.

“We also will work at local soup kitchens, medical clinics, and even play with the children, teaching them God’s love in the process.

“This experience will stretch and strengthen me in ways I cannot even fathom,” he said.

Whitney will leave Jan. 19, 2009, for Uganda and will stay for more than seven months. As part of his internship, he is responsible for raising $7,500 for travel and living expenses, insurance, and EMI tuition.

More information about EMI and its mission go to www.emiworld.org.

Whitney is a 2005 graduate of Peabody-Burns High School. He is the son of Mark and Ginger Whitney of Peabody.