Thrive Africa: Top 10 and a Giveaway

Today I want to tell you about my friend, Alece.

(And in case you’re like me and are saying “Alice” in your head, let me set you straight. Her name is pronounced like “Elise.” Just so you know. The things you can learn in a video post, am I right?)

For a long time, I didn’t know much about what Alece does. I read her blog and comments on other people’s blogs. Sometimes we commented on each other’s blogs, but for a while, that was all. I eventually figured out that she’s a missionary in Africa, but honestly, I didn’t look much deeper.

Then I started reading more about her ministry and became true bloggy friends with her and even got to meet her. And now?

I’m 100 percent, completely and totally in love and on board with Alece and what she does.

{Not that I didn’t love her before. But to know someone and her heart for ministry? It’s a whole different level of friendship and respect and all that good stuff.}

See, around the same time I was sloooowly getting to know Alece and what she does, God was sloooowly breaking my heart for missions.

I’ve told you before about how I never really cared about missions. I’ve admitted that I had no desire to do anything other than give my missionary friends a pat on the back and thank God for not calling me to live in the desert or the jungle or the hood.

Alece didn’t have quite the same experience. I love how she describes it on her blog:

Africa steals the hearts of anyone who comes here. I know. It happened to me.

I got the missions bug in me when I went on my first mission trip at 14. At 16, I was ruined forever by a two-month trip to Southern Africa. I went home with more than a tan and some wooden carvings. I knew I’d spend my life on this continent, with these beautiful people.

I moved to South Africa when I was 19. I didn’t know much, beyond the fact that God called me here. I’ve learned a lot over the past decade+ of living in Africa, but in many ways I still don’t know much. And I’m okay with that. I’ll be a student of Africa forever.

After moving to South Africa in 1998, Alece founded Thrive Africa, a ministry that disciples believers, equips leaders and strengthens the Church in South Africa. Everything they do is focused on guiding people into a growing relationship with God and training them to be competent, upright leaders.

Like so many companies and organizations, Thrive Africa is having some hard times financially. In another incredible leap of faith, they set a God-sized goal to raise $80,000 by June 1.

Which is right around the corner. As in . . . next week!

So today I’m asking you to consider joining Thrive Africa in 10 Buck Tuesday. Just $10 can provide . . .

• Year-round vegetable gardens for three families
• Weekly transport for a coach to teach hundreds of students
• Paper for printing discipleship materials
• A day’s wages for three national employees
• 5 AIDS prevention workbooks, teaching students God’s ways

To give you a larger glimpse into the work Thrive Africa is doing, here are the Top 10 reasons why we should support them. Keep reading . . . there’s a giveaway at the end!

The Top 10 Reasons to Support Thrive Africa

1. Our Leadership Summit program is breaking barriers of communication and providing vital knowledge to turn the tide of the AIDS pandemic in southern Africa. 93% of our partnering pastors report that sexual activity among their youth is a significant problem – and they’re asking us to help. 50% of our surveyed students still need to know essential truths about HIV/AIDS.
2. Boitsebelo School reported zero teen pregnancies this year, due to the impact of Leadership Summit. Their headmaster, Mr. Lebone said this: “Much has been done in terms of equipping students with tools and knowledge to make wise decisions. Example, during the past years we had several learners who got pregnant, but we don’t have even one learner who is pregnant this year.”
3. One Hand-in-Hand conference equips 100 church leaders. We’re aiming to change what’s been said about the African church – that it’s a mile wide and only an inch deep.
4. LaunchPad students come to our discipleship classes during their free time because they are hungry to know about God. Your $10 helps us get to our six classes each week. Our160 LaunchPad students are developing connections with Christ, building relationships with our staff team, learning to make prayer a lifestyle and experiencing what it means to never be alone.
5. Nearly 400 students participate in our quarterly IMPACT conferences, where they are equipped and advanced as leaders. Eighteen schools in QwaQwa (South Africa) participate in our conferences, and hundreds of schools are still waiting for the opportunity.
6. We equip and mentor 23 coaches who impart hope and knowledge to approximately 4,000 students every two weeks.
7. The Department of Education has granted Thrive Africa unlimited access to the schools in our entire district (over 300). Our limitation is the funds to pay for additional coaches and curriculum. Just $10 pays a days’ wages for two coaches or for five curriculum books.
8. Thrive is investing in 52 national staff members and combating the 88% unemployment rate. Your gift of just $10 covers a day’s wages for two South African staff.
9. Your investment in Thrive is guaranteed to multiply. As we invest in pastors and other church leaders, they become equipped to invest in others and bring lasting change to this nation.
10. For less than the cost of a date night or coffee with a friend or a new CD, you can equip a nation for tomorrow and make an eternal impact on our world. Our investment in South Africa is exponential because we extend our reach of God-centered change by raising up indigenous leaders who will model the same. We believe in teaching men to fish rather than solely giving them a fish for today.

These reasons were taken from the Thrive Africa blog.

Now for the giveaway! Do you like coffee? Do you care about Africa? Well, howsabout we put those things together and give you a lovely red Thrive Africa mug and a bag of Thrive Africa blend coffee?!

{The certified fair trade and organic coffee comes from Africa in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. It’s coffee from Africa for Africa!}

To enter the giveaway, do one of the following and leave a comment telling me about it. For additional entries, do more than one of the following and leave a {separate} comment for each one.

• LIKE: Thrive Africa on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/thriveafrica)
• FOLLOW: Thrive Africa on Twitter (@impactSA)
• TWEET: $10 goes farther than you think. Join in the fight against AIDS in africa. http://10bucktuesday.com/ #10BuckTues
• DONATE: http://10bucktuesday.com/

Random.org will choose a winner after midnight on Thursday, and I’ll announce the winner on Friday.

This post will be linked to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.

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