I am so excited about a wonderful opportunity for all of us to be a blessing!
Our daughter, Annie, is with me tonight and is excited about sharing an update on her goals for her mission project to help Generation Next that we were honored to share with all of you in November 2011.
I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of helping Annie reach her goals for her mission project. Annie has a deep passion for sharing the Gospel in practical ways with people…especially when she finds an amazing opportunity to help girls her own age all over the world through an incredible organization that was started by Riley, who is now just sixteen years old. It is called Generation Next.
Generation Next is a non-profit organization that will provide under privileged children all over the world with a backpack full of school supplies, for their educational learning as well as a Bible for their spiritual learning and hygiene kits for girls. “Supplies for Life!” The focus of this organization is to love one child at a time. In fact, right now they are even in the process of building a school in Kenya…the walls of the structure are already going up.
Annie is passionate about collecting items for Generation Next to put into hygiene kits for the girls because if the girls don’t have what they need to take care of themselves the one week a month that they have their period, they miss school that whole week. Getting these kits into their hands will help them to improve their education which helps them to change their life situation…and puts a very real example how much God loves them and cares for ALL of their needs right into their hands.
Our daughter, Annie, found out about this amazing young woman who live right here in Missouri and after reading her story, much prayer, and talking with Riley on the phone, she is on fire to help them! What I love is that Annie wants to share this opportunity with everyone she knows and as soon as she told me about it I knew I wanted to help and give all of you the chance to help her reach her goals as well which is why I shared her goal with all of you back in November!
We are so thrilled to see donations from Bible Study groups and individuals starting to come in from Unwrapping His Grace readers!!! You all are amazing!!!
Donation bin filled with hygiene products from Annie’s Goal list from a Women’s Bible Study group who heard about the need here on Unwrapping His Grace!!
Here is the second full bin of donated items from a Women’s Bible Study group who heard about Annie’s goal, here on Unwrapping His Grace, to help Generation Next collect hygiene products to create hygiene kits for girls in need.
More of you have asked if it is possible to continue collecting items on her goal list or to send money so she can purchase what is needed at local Dollar Stores or sales. And the answer to both of your questions is YES! YES! YES!
Here is how we can all get on board to help these precious girls in Africa get what they need to take care of themselves and hear the Gospel in a very practical way.
It is SO easy for all of us as women and the women’s groups we are involved in to get on board and help Annie and Riley reach their goal of collecting products to fill hygiene kits!!!
I decided to share Annie’s own words with you as I can’t say it any better than her words and heart have said…
I am gathering hygiene supplies for girls in Africa. I have had the opportunity to talk to Riley Banks, a 16-year-old missionary, on the phone. Once I collect the supplies I will be meeting her to give them to her and talk with her. God laid it on my heart to do this mission project after reading an article about Riley Banks in the “Rural Missouri” magazine. Riley went to Africa for the first time when she was 9 years old and felt that God was calling her to do something for these children. She now has an organization called “Generation Next”. She gives backpacks filled with school supplies to children of both genders and hygiene kits for the girls. When I talked to her and asked her which of the two were most needed, her response was hygiene kits. I am asking for donations and your prayers.
I am so thankful for the donations that are already coming in from Unwrapping His Grace readers and the Women’s Bible Studies you are a part of!
Want to be a helping hand to girls in Africa…
Here is an updated list of what I still need to reach my goals by the end of February.
My goals are:
Packages of Sanitary Pads- Original goal–150 We still need 124 to reach my goal!
Packages of Tampons- Original goal–150 We still need 143 packages to reach my goal!
Bar Soap Original goal–250 We still need 174 to reach my goal!
Shampoo- Original goal–250 We still need 232 to reach my goal!
Toothbrush- Original goal –250 We still need 210 to reach my goal!
Toothpaste- Original goal– 250 We still need 199 to reach my goal!
Individual packets of Powder laundry detergent Original goal –250 We still need 244 to reach my goal!
Packages of girls’ size small or medium panties- Original goal 250 We still need 248
Would sending a monetary donation to Annie so that she can purchase items needed from her list be an easier option for you or your group??? We are thrilled to be able to offer the opportunity to donate to her goal using PAYPAL!!! Just click the “DONATE” Button in the right sidebar here on Unwrapping His Grace and Paypal will walk you through the simple steps to donating to this cause that is near and dear to my sweet daughter’s heart!
Some of you have asked if small donations are OK. YES!!! Every penny helps more than you know!!!
Any donations you feel led to make are greatly appreciated! Thank you for your prayers and support!
I am SO proud of how she is follow the Lord’s leading in this! And we are SO thankful for all of you who are getting excited about blessing these young girls with us!
I asked Annie what touched her about this project the most and this is what she said…”the fact that she is so young and God is already using her to make such a big impact. She was only 9 years old when she started going to Africa with her parents. And now, at the age of just 16, she has a non-profit organization and is doing something about her passion not just talking about it. And she lives just few hours away from me and is making a huge difference. And she is just a normal teenager just like me.”
What a beautiful gift of God’s care and love we can give these very, precious daughters of God who ask so little but need so much with our young Christian women leading the way!
Annie is inviting women as individuals and women’s small groups, Sunday School classes, Women’s Ministries, Bible Studies…small and large groups to help her reach her beautiful goals that she shared here. I am honored to share this challenge with all of you!
Please feel free to ask questions in the comments below and I will have Annie answer them for you! If you or your Women’s group would like to collect hygiene items and send them to Annie so that she can get them to Riley at Generation Next, please email me at marypershing (@) gmail (.com) your group’s information and I will get you our mailing address. She will pick up all of your mailed/shipped donations here at our house.
We ask that you pray about how God is calling your heart to respond. Any help you can provide will be SO appreciated and ALL of your prayers are treasured as she works toward her exciting goal to serve God!! If you could help her get the word out about Generation Next or if you want to find out more information about it please take a moment to “like” “Generation Next” on Facebook and visit her website at Generationnextcares.net.
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 NIV
And whether or not donating is something God is calling you to do…more than anything, these sweet, African girls need our prayers. So let us know in the comments if you are willing to commit to pray for Generation Next’s mission or for the girls they are reaching with practical love and the Gospel.
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Unwrapping His Grace for His Glory,
Mary Joy
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