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Woman on mission to oversee construction of a playground in Africa

Teri Spence of Zelienople, right, is leaving for a mission trip to Kenya where she'll help build a playground and visit 15-year-old Damanius.

Teri Spence is leaving on a solo mission trip to Kandaria, Kenya, on Thursday.

She started doing mission trips to Africa with her church in 2012. Since then, she's been sponsoring a boy named Damanius at the House of Hope orphanage.

She calls him her son.

“We've truly become like family,” Spence said.

Damanius is 15 years old and just finished eighth grade. Spence said he will move to a boarding high school next month.

Spence told Damanius she would see him before he moved. But the big church group she has gone with to Kandaria in the past isn't going this year.

“I decided to go on my own,” Spence said.

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