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by Rose-Marie Leslie, Major –
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DIVISION women have fun while raising money for the West’s territorial project. |
Each year, the women of the Western Territory undertake a territorial project to raise money to support Salvation Army ministries in other parts of the world; sometimes this will be in our own territory, like the Marshall Islands or Alaska.
We do this to support the fundamental aim of Women’s Ministries—to develop purposeful lives and work toward the betterment of the home, the community, the nation, and the world. We are concerned about the spiritual, social, and economic plight of our neighbors and seize the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution that will save lives, educate, feed, house, clothe, and evangelize those who have little opportunity without our help.
For the 2004 Project we successfully raised $32,808 which will go to the Latin America North Territory in support of their “Women Developing Women” endeavor. This project will help train women who have not learned a trade or a means to earn a living. In Venezuela, where it will start, the women will come from the Simon Bolivar and San Luis neighborhoods where the majority of women are unemployed and without husbands.
They will learn sewing and will also have access to a social worker, psychologist, and Salvation Army officer who will provide an integrated program to address economic, social, emotional and spiritual problems, and link the women to the community resources that will assist in raising their standard of living. It is hoped that similar programs can be replicated in the other countries of the Latin America North Territory.
To raise this money, women engaged in fun and creative means of fundraising all around the territory. Many gave personally through their local Women’s Ministries group by bringing their change every week, selling baked goods, washing cars, holding auctions and grab bags, and giving to corporate offerings designated for the territorial project.
Commissioner Patricia Swyers, territorial president of Women’s Ministries, expresses her profound appreciation to the women of the Western Territory: “Women’s Ministries members are among the most generous people in the world. The monies raised for this project signify sacrificial giving in many instances.
We are both pleased and proud of our ladies as they support this important project to develop women in the Latin America North Territory. I am confident that even now they are preparing for their fundraising project for the Alaska Division next year.”