RAKING LEAVES FOR AFRICA

The SuperNova Youth Group gathered together on two separate Saturdays, November 15 and 22, to rake leaves from the yards of friends and neighbors for a donation to the Schools of Africa cause. Through their hard work and volunteer spirit and led by Youth Minister Owin Pierson, the Youth Group was able to raise $2,000 for the cause. Christophe Lejeune, a SuperNova Youth Group graduate, now working for Microsoft, enabled the $1,000 they raised through leaf raking to be matched by an equal amount from Microsoft.

Rev. Judith Lejeune, Assistant Pastor of the NOVA (Northern Virginia) Family Church in Virginia managed the logistics of the effort by organizing food donations from local restaurants, transportation for the young people, and preparation of fliers to hand out in the neighborhood. NOVA Community Church members, moms and dads, stepped up by helping with the driving and pickup and delivery of the donated food.

On both leaf-raking days, WFWP NOVA Chairwoman Zena Ruf shared information about the Schools of Africa Project as well as her own experience in teaching African adults. She explained that in her adult education class two young women, aged 20 and 21, who had recently just arrived in America from Africa were unable to read and write and could just barely print their own names.

She shared that a UNESCO survey in 2005 revealed that 46 million African schoolchildren had never even stepped inside a classroom and that 40 percent of African children do not even attend primary school. Support for building schools, buying materials, and hiring teachers is vital for Africa's development.

As they prepared to start their leaf-raking fundraiser for the Schools of Africa Project, the SuperNova Youth Group learned that WFWP has been supporting education in Africa for over 12 years. Our organization is currently supporting schools in eight countries.

This tradition of a leaf-raking fundraiser, with the proceeds donated to a different charity each year, was started over 12 years ago by Pastor Hiroshi Goto, former Northern Virginia Community Church pastor, and his family. The money raised this fall is the largest amount raised in a single year from this fundraiser, and can be attributed to the great heart and effort of all the volunteers and sponsors, as well as to the tradition of service set up by the Goto family.