Christian blogger raises $60k for kindergartens

By Christopher Quinn

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jonathan Acuff, the Christian blogger from Alpharetta who raised $30,000 in 18 hours last month to build a kindergarten in Vietnam, has gone the second mile.

He raised another $30,000, which will build a second school. The money for the first kindergarten poured in so fast after he wrote on his satirical blog "Stuff Christians Like" about his dream to build the school that he wanted to try again. The fund-raising continued until Thursday when an anonymous donor pitched in the final $6,023.

Acuff was in a meeting when he got a text message about the total.

"I was just blown away by the arrival of it so quickly," he said.

"I had a hard time not crying in my meeting."

His blog is popular among young evangelical Christians, many of whom donated smaller amounts, from $5 to $100. The money was collected through Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina Christian relief organization run by Franklin Graham, the son of the Rev. Billy Graham. The organization has contacts in Vietnam and will be responsible for building the kindergartens.

"I'm going to have a good time writing a post and celebrating with all the readers," Acuff said.