May 14, 2009

Faith is driving a Charlottesville man to help people on the other side of the world. He's using his skills so they can have a smoother drive down a bumpy road. That's why CBS19 Anchor Hailey Frances says he's this week's Hailey's Hero.

Imagine a drive to Williamsburg, but instead of a steady three hours it took nineteen hours. That's reality in a western country in Africa called Liberia. It was a trek like that during a mission trip that got one Charlottesville auto mechanic thinking.

Each day Charles Bourne runs his auto body shop in Charlottesville. But lately, his work here is also helping people a world away. Villagers in Liberia.

Bourne fixed two wrecked SUVS on his won time. He loaded them onto a cargo ship and mailed them overseas.

"People just pulled in and helped. People from the church stopped by, and some people helped, while some people stopped by and said I just want to pray for the vehicles. It was just a great process," says Bourne.

When the two cars got there, Bourne and his fellow church members from Lake Monticello loaded up, then drove them to villagers in need. Bourne's inspiration to help came after his first trip.

"After being on the ground. and by being a mechanic we leased two vehicles, I believe it was $125 a day plus you had to also pay for a driver," says Bourne.

Checking out his eBay for his next fixer upper, Bourne is gearing up for round two. He's shipping two more cars in just a few more months.

"You cannot buy a good dependable vehicle in a third world country, so the expense is well worth it."

As this hero gets ready to plug away on his new project a world away, the road to work and to church is much smoother thanks to his heroic outstretched hands.

If you know of someone who's making an impact here in our community, or even a world away, shoot Hailey Frances an email at hailey.frances@wcav.tv. You could see your hero featured right here on CBS19 News.