The day we’ve anticipated for months is finally here!
After coming home from my trip to South Africa, I’ve hinted around for the past few weeks that we were cooking up something really exciting to give you an opportunity to join us in making a difference in the poorest communities there.
After months of emails, Skype calls, and a few in-person meetings, we are ready to launch and we are all so very excited!
Drumroll…
Starting today, we are opening the doors for the first ever #TenDollarTribe — and we’d LOVE for you to join us in this.
What is the #TenDollarTribe?
The #TenDollarTribe is a group of people — moms, dads, singles, grandparents, families — who are all committed to making a difference in two very needy communities in South Africa: the Maubane community and the Reagoboka community.
I have visited both of these communities, spent time talking with the leaders, met the children they are ministering to, seen how great the need is, and witnessed just how far money can go in these very poor areas of South Africa.
Why $10 Per Month?
We talked about a number of different options and we really felt like we wanted to provide an amount that was doable for many, many families.
I knew that something like $40 per month was not in many of your budgets, but that the majority of you could find a way to tighten your budget in a few categories in order to free up $10 per month to give to this much-needed cause.
In addition, because money goes so much further in South Africa, $10 per month can make a big difference.
What Can $10 Per Month Do?
The short answer is: a lot. In fact, I was shocked at how much of a difference small amounts of money can make in South Africa.
For instance, $10 will buy 100 bowls of porridge for school children, a month’s worth of school supplies, or two weeks of cooking fuel for a local family.
I know that you all are like me: you want to give your money to causes that will use it well. I can say with utmost confidence that your money will be stretched as far as possible to make as big of an impact as possible.
Lisa-Jo and I are working in partnership with Help One Now and Pure Charity for this initiative with the on-the-ground team, Take Action Ministry. Both Help One Now and Pure Charity have been incredibly generous in helping us out. We could never logistically do this on our own as there are so many moving parts involved and we are so grateful for their support and help.
Our Family is Personally Very Invested in This Project
I hesitated to share this, because we do the majority of our giving anonymously. However, I wanted you to know that our family is committed to putting our money where our mouth is.
When I went to South Africa, it was primarily to personally investigate the projects and leaders there to make sure I felt 100% comfortable asking you all to join us in this. But our family had a secondary reason, too, and that was to look for a way that our family could personally partner with Take Action Ministries.
I discovered that they had very little money coming in for their organizational expenses (storage/office building rental, computer equipment, office supplies, etc.) and that almost everyone involved was volunteering their time or only getting paid a very small amount. As I talked with them more, I realized that this was a huge stress for them as every single month they were just barely, barely eeking by.
Because of the financial choices we’ve made throughout the years to live on less than we make, develop strong income streams, and stay out of debt, and because God has blessed our businesses far beyond what we could have ever dreamed or imagined, we are in a place where we could take on these monthly expenses for them so that they wouldn’t have to constantly be looking for grants or dealing with the stress that comes from trying to survive on a tiny, tiny budget.
I share this only because I want you to know that our family is very invested in this project and we believe wholeheartedly in the work and ministry Take Action is doing in South Africa. I would not ask you to join us in this had I not vetted it very thoroughly and felt I could put a huge rubber stamp of approval on it.
Will You Prayerfully Consider Joining the #TenDollarTribe?
There are many fantastic causes to give money to and I completely understand that not everyone is called to give to South Africa nor in a place to make a monthly commitment like this, but I want to urge each of you to not click away from this post without taking a few minutes to consider whether this is a project you could find the funds to support and the desire to be involved in.
If dozens of us are willing to take a step and make this commitment, it will impact the lives of hundreds of children for years to come. Will you join us?
>>Click here to sign up to be a member of the #TenDollarTribe.<<
If you join, will you do me a favor and either email me or leave a comment on this post? I’d like to personally thank you.
Can’t Give Money But Still Want to Help Out?
For those of you who are not in a place to join the #TenDollarTribe, but you’d like to help out in some way, can I ask you to pray that God would bless these community centers, provide for their needs, and help them to have wisdom as they seek to make lasting change in these communities?
Also, would you consider sharing this post via Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest? Thank you so much!
(Photo courtesy of Silas — he wanted me to show you all his list so he took 20 pictures for me to post!)
It also reminded me of how important it is that I set a good example before my kids. Because it’s not just the words I’m saying that they are paying attention to; the life I’m living before them is what they are paying the most attention to.
