I GOT BIG DOSES OF INSPIRATION!

The 2014 Women's Federation for World Peace National Assembly was one of my first experiences with the organization. It was a very moving experience, and I was able to learn about WFWP's mission: empowering women to lead a life of love and service for their communities and God. And now I am interested in participating more in Women's Federation activities!

At the assembly, I found a very loving and warm environment. I brought my friend along to the event, and we felt a lot love from the friendly women and young women during lunch. My friend and I were so inspired by the excellent speakers! Each woman was so passionate and enthusiastic, and each genuinely wanted to share her love and guidance with the audience. One especially valuable point that speaker Nandi Bengu mentioned was the importance of love and forgiveness.

Although we received much insight from all of the speakers, our favorite was Victoria Pannell, a 15-year-old girl from New York City. Her topic was "Daring to Speak Out for Others." She empowered and inspired us to have confidence, do what is right, and uphold our values – even in the most difficult situations. Victoria has already accomplished a lot in her life, and I'm sure she will accomplish much more! She gave me the confidence that even though I am young, I can still influence people in a significant way.

I also learned about WFWP's incredible Schools of Africa Program and the impact it has on African children. Every November, my local youth group holds a leaf-raking fundraiser for a special organization. This year, we decided to raise money for the Schools of Africa project! I was delighted to contribute to that, because I knew the value of WFWP and its Schools of Africa. This caused me to work even harder, because it was meaningful to me.