Many of you have asked how you can be involved in Beyond Survival. Here is the next event and opportunity that we have planned for you to invest in. You can participate or donate towards this cause. I can't wait to see how many kids are able to go to school once we get this school building built. You don't have to live in Colorado Springs to invest in this opportunity.
Vanguard’s 4th Annual Swazi Walk: August 28th, 2010
Walking so Others Can Learn
How We Started?
In the rural community of Engculwini, located in Swaziland, Africa, Pastor Walter Malaza decided to make a difference to feed and care for orphans of his community by establishing eight different Care Points among the 10,000 people in his community. He discovered that there were over 500 orphans without the necessities of life.
He went to his chief to relate the desire God had given him to feed the hungry children, asking permission to carry it out and for eight plots of land to be designated for this purpose. The chief agreed to the dream and Pastor Walter is now coordinating a work at each of the eight feeding centers, or Care Points.
The number of orphans is increasing daily. Swaziland hosts an ever growing orphan population due to its exploding HIV/AIDS crisis. In the 23-29 year old age bracket the infection rate is 56.5%. There are literally thousands of children who have no one to care for them. Walter is attempting to make a difference in their lives. We are investing with him.
How Can You and I Make a Difference?
Through Vanguard’s 4th Annual Swazi Walk, we will be walking so others can go to school. This event provides an opportunity for the people of Vanguard to tangibly help the people of Swaziland by creating an opportunity for children to be educated.
Last year, we were able through the generosity and commitment of Vanguard Church to raise enough money to launch the Rose Geranium Farm. Soon this farm will not only be producing jobs for the jobless but also resources to help with the needs of our Care Point.
This year funds raised will go to help build new classrooms and educate children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to go to school in Swaziland, Africa. The Swazi Walk funds will go to build more classrooms for the school at our care point. Our church plant, Agape Church, on our care point is the springboard for this school. Right now we have grades 1-5 with the last two not in any class room. Our building will be used for 120 kids a year. No kids will be sent home from this school for not being able to pay, for not having the right drawing set, or for any other reason. This school is for orphans and vulnerable children and is a partnership between the government of Swaziland and us. Without this school these kids would have no option for education. They would just be part of the 56% of the kids in Swaziland that are not in school because they cannot afford it.
We would like to see this school be the catalyst for more schools to be built in Swaziland. We envision a place where our kids get a new level of education and can grow up to have opportunities to become something in life. We have a desire to reinvest into the next generation of orphans and vulnerable children. In the end, Swazis must take care of Swazis and that will never happen without good education. Thanks again for investing into the lives of the Swazi people.
How Much Will It Cost?
The classrooms will cost $15,000 and provide multiple opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children to be educated. Will you help make a difference?
How Can You Invest?
1. Walk. By gathering sponsors, you can help raise money for this cause. You can get sponsors that will donate a particular amount or others who want to sponsor you based on the distance that you walk. Sign up for the walk at the sponsorship table, grab a sponsorship packet to use in your gathering of sponsors, and walk with us on August 28th.
2. Give. Give by sponsoring a person who is walking, you can go online to vanguardchurch.org.(Go to the Give tab at the top of the page and select Swazi Walk Account), or write a check to Vanguard Church with “Swazi Walk” in the memo.
3. Share. Pass the word along about Beyond Survival ( HYPERLINK "http://www.beyondsurvival.org" www.beyondsurvival.org) and how others may partner to invest into the lives of Swazis in Africa.
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