Several months ago I asked five women to share their personal journeys with the idea of beauty. And a lot of you wrote your own blog posts. One of the women I asked to guest post is a good friend of mine, Alece. On twitter she goes by @gritandglory and blogs at gritandglory.com.
She has been staying with me this week.
If you haven’t read her story, get over to her blog and read it. You’ll be amazed by her strength, her grace and her transparency.
Her passion {and her job} is Thrive Africa. Thrive trains and equips indigenous leaders to become Godly influences in their communities. They provide discipleship training within local churches in South Africa. And, maybe the coolest part of what Thrive does is that they teach a faith-based abstinence and AIDS prevention curriculum in area middle schools.
How cool is that? Totally unheard of in the States: Christians entering the public school system to teach a faith-based sex education curriculum. I’m so proud of what Alece is doing.
I get it that there are LOTS of people doing LOTS of things in Africa and around the world. Building wells, halting sex trafficking, holding the hands of the fatherless. Thrive is one arm of what God is doing in His church.
And they are doing it well.
Their leaders are leading in their communities. Their discipleship students are serving in their local churches. And the middle schools Thrive affects have seen a drop in student pregnancy over the course of their involvement.
So what can we do?
Invest:
You can invest. Thrive Africa, like many non-profits, are vastly under-financed. They operate by the faithful financial support of churches and ordinary individuals like you and me. They also have options for strategic giving: you can sponsor a specific need like AIDS prevention notebooks for students or even sponsor an indigenous pastor to attend a 3 day training conference.
Buy:
Thrive Africa opened an online store several months ago. You can purchase coffee, mugs and super-cute hoodies and tees. All of the proceeds go to help fund Thrive’s ministry.
Go:
Thrive hosts team short-term missions trips, summer-long and year long internships onsite in South Africa. Sure, we can give or buy, but what better way to get directly involved in how God is working among His people in Africa than to go.
Come:
If you are in the LA or Orange County area, this Saturday night we will be hosting Live with Thrive, where you can meet Alece and learn more about Thrive. If you’d like to be a part, please RSVP here.
Have you gotten involved with a ministry or cause lately that you really believe in?
South Africa is my home
Well at leas that’s where my hubby is from and its where we are living now. But I am seeing everyday more and more how God has called me here, I am more than just a Mrs. but the hands and feet of Jesus in my new home of South Africa. If anyone ever gets the chance…. come to Africa… your eyes will be opened.
where do you live in SA, charissa? thrive is based in harrismith (halfway between joburg and durban) – let me know if you’re ever up that way!
Hi Alece!! My hubs and I live in Joburg area…Roodepoort to be exact. We may be moving to the Cape sometime soon though. I am not sure how far we are from Harrismith right now ? Probably a few hours. Anyways… I have been to your website a few times. I love love LOVE missions! I am so excited to be here and all the amazing opportunities in there are in SA! Maybe we will meet sometime:)
Wow! What a cool story! I love this and definitely want to get involved. I went there in highschool and haven’t been able to get it off my mind.
really? where did you go??
From someone else who works for a non-profit and is underfunded, THANK YOU!!!! Thanks for publicizing Thrive Africa. Thanks for hosting an event for Alece. I’m sure it is a huge encouragement for her. I’m praying right now that the right people will be there.
it IS a huge encouragement, sheryl! thank you for your sweet prayers.
it’s an honor!!
I love all that is being done in His name. Thank you for letting us know about Thrive and giving us a chance to help too!
I sponsor a child through Compassion, and have in the last year been donating to Open Doors, for the persecuted church, to help provide bibles.
Blessings and love!
deb
you are welcome. i’m so glad, debbie.
i’ve never heard of open doors. it sounds amazing.
Hi Sarah, I am a blog-reader of yours from Thailand! We have been stirred with the horrors of child prostitution here, and are currently running an orphange for at-risk girls. We have about 50 girls from the hill tribes of Northern Thailand. It has been such an eye-opening, heart-wrenching journey so far, but it has given us such amazing perspective and gratitude for the blessing in our lives that we so often forget about.
Thanks for posting about this ministry from Africa. I love reading about how other people are impacting their worlds with the love and justice of Jesus.
wow Laura. sometimes it seems like there is so much to be done in the world…
i’m so glad God is big enough.
you are welcome. i’m so glad, debbie.
i’ve never heard of open doors. it sounds amazing.
1st of all ,I like this piece and think more like it should be written by other leaders,and what I’m about to share is only my opion .One of the things that caught my eye when I saw your status on Facebook was that you researched for your denomination about this topic,I think that is the primary concern that causes confusion in the Body of Christ,denominations presents groups,that form their own views ,that causes controversies,that brings about confrontation ,that creates division,that eliminates any opportunity of unification that could bring any resemblance of a body that’s working cohesively to build hope for people in dire straights.As long as the the enemy causes these issues in the church ,there can never be real productivity to command change and restore hope ,that gives sinners a chance for salvation,NOTHING PERSONAL ,JUST MY OPION