Every day, Akevia Wilson has a class full of third graders who look to her as a role model. And many days, she gets to sit down and counsel students in other grades too because she has a valuable resource — her story.
“I’ve been through most of the things these kids are going through as far as homelessness or having a tough home life,” she said.
Beacon of hope
And they see Wilson — now a teacher, graduate student, wife and mother — as a beacon of hope. Wilson got back on her feet with help from Christian Women’s Job Corps.
“CWJC helped me with encouragement, school, clothes, classes, items for my son, Bible study and many other things,” she said.
Behind the scenes of CWJC, there’s national Woman’s Missionary Union, which founded and supports the ministry through providing training, resources and encouragement for site leaders. There’s also the WMU Foundation, which assists the ministry by providing grants for sites, as well as scholarships for CWJC and Christian Men’s Job Corps participants.
And there’s a whole crowd of donors who have given to the WMU Foundation to help keep national WMU ministries going over the past 25 years.
Wide-reaching impact
In that time, the foundation has established more than 100 funds and endowments and engaged with more than 120 countries. It’s given $17.7 million toward women’s leadership development, the ministry of state WMU chapters, the fight against human trafficking, the work of CWJC and CMJC, scholarships, disaster relief work and the operational needs of national WMU.
That’s what the foundation is celebrating this year, according to David George, president of the WMU Foundation — the lives that have been changed and the people who gave to make that ministry possible.
“The work of the WMU Foundation could not be done without the continued support of the many faithful individuals and churches who support God’s mission and WMU through us,” George said. “We are grateful for all that God has accomplished over the last 25 years and are excited to see what He has in store for the future.”
Sandy Wisdom-Martin, national WMU executive director, says that even though national WMU and the WMU Foundation were founded more than a century apart, it’s hard to imagine one without the other.
Helpful partnership
“In partnership together, we are able to impact all states across the U.S. and 39 countries,” she said.
That partnership is especially helpful in a year like 2020 when national WMU is facing unprecedented financial difficulties, Wisdom-Martin added.
“Support of WMU through the WMU Foundation is even more critical this year — COVID-19 has hit our vibrant ministry with a force unequal to anything we’ve seen in recent decades with a sharp decline in sales, which is our primary source of revenue,” she said. “Grants and gifts from the WMU Foundation touch every aspect of WMU ministry. As we seek to make disciples of Jesus who live on mission, the efforts and support of the WMU Foundation will reverberate throughout eternity.”
George says that’s definitely the vision.
That’s why the foundation has been working hard to support the ministries of national WMU since Dellanna O’Brien, executive director of national WMU from 1989 to 1999, helped create the foundation 25 years ago.
“I was blessed to know Dellanna and learn the full extent of her vision before she passed away,” George said. “Her input, her passion and her philosophy have directed my steps over the past 19 years — to be the foundation for all of WMU. I am honored to have had this privilege.”
The foundation’s goal this year is to reach $2.5 million in giving, increase monthly giving by 25% and help the Touch Tomorrow Today endowment of every state WMU reach $25,000.
Passionate donors
George said the “missions passion” of donors helps to achieve the Great Commission.
“When God’s people find their missions passion, they make a difference in the lives of so many by helping move the ministry of WMU forward, providing support to those in the midst of natural disasters, equipping women in leadership and so much more,” he said. “Our partnership with these faithful people is the reason the WMU Foundation has so much to celebrate for our 25th anniversary.”
For more information, visit www.wmufoundation.com/25thanniversary.
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