Graduation
Graduation 2020 is in the books! It was quite the celebration January 18th. The students were almost hard to recognize they looked so good in their nicely tailored outfits that our graduating tailors had made; the girls had their hair done and festivity was in the air!
The food was prepared and the chairs were in place and ready for the guests when family and friends arrived a little after 2pm.
It was one of the biggest days in these young people’s lives. Throughout the merriment and ceremony, our great God was glorified. A member of the Tanzanian parliament addressed the graduates and the crowd and commended Next Life on the training it’s doing to give a hand up to the young people in Tanzania. Pastors from the area gave thanks to God through Jesus Christ for the blessings He has shown all of us. Certificates of completion were handed out, food was served, and many pictures were taken. All the neighborhood children were invited in to share the meal with us. What a joyous occasion!
There was dancing before, during and after the ceremony!
New Campus
The plans are drawn up and we’re ready for building. Please check out the plans and costs at https://nextlifefound.org/its-time-to-grow/ Patti would love to talk to anyone interested in financially supporting part (or all) of our building project. Currently we have the capability to serve 45 students at our leased site. When we complete our new campus we have the potential to accept 300 students plus house female students in a dormitory. Wow! We’re so thankful to God!
When we put out a notice that we are accepting students, we receive hundreds of applications. We currently have over forty young people on a waiting list! God is up to great things!
New Tailoring Students
The Monday after graduation our new tailoring students began their journey with Next Life. Not only will they master the trade of sewing but they’ll learn English, entrepreneurial skills, and Bible lessons. These thirty young people range from 13 years in age to 23 years old and an educational background of completing 4th grade to completing 11th grade with most having a 7th grade education. They are all very enthusiastic about learning. Only four of our new students are from the village of Mbuguni where Next Life Foundation is located. Many walk two to two and a half hours to get to class each day. They have made a commitment to learn. After just a few days practicing on the treadle sewing machines many were designing and making simple shoulder bags.
Look at the joy and pride on their faces!
Think what they’ll accomplish after a few months of training!
Sponsoring a Student
Do you realize that you can radically change the life of one of these young people for $60 a month? That’s two dollars a day! Learning a life skill at Next Life Foundation not only affects the student but he/she will, most likely, support their parents, siblings and possibly aunts, uncles and cousins when they complete their training. The region of Mbuguni sees hope for their young people again. They have an opportunity to meet Christ for the first time or to deepen their faith through devotions with Pastor Elia, the local pastor that visits each week. These are generational changes. Time spent at Next Life impacts our students, their families, their future children, grandchildren, etc. The Boards of Directors and staff will use your financial gifts as responsibly as possible and the Holy Spirit will multiply them beyond our imagination.
How many of us can find $2 a day by giving up a specialty coffee, a lunch out or something else once a week? Please pray and consider sponsoring a student. You can learn more about each youth at https://nextlifefound.org/tailoring-students/ to chose a student to sponsor.
On The Road Again
Laurence and Patti have been putting miles on her car again. This time they were in Oklahoma and Texas. They were the keynote speakers at Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Entrepreneur Seminar in Enid, OK February 20-21.
What an honor it was to tell their story and the story God is weaving for the young people at Next Life. They prayed (along with many in Iowa) that God would be glorified in all that was said. They also had an opportunity to speak at Eagle View Church in Ft Worth, TX. Again, may God be glorified in all that happens at our training center and when the Next Life story is told. We could never make these connections or do what we do without Him! Laurence and Patti met many wonderful people as they traveled and had a great time together.
Prayer Requests
- New students adjustment to NLF and safety as they come & go
- Financial blessings to build at our new site & to support our students
- Holy Spirit guidance in all NLF does today and in planning for the future
- Holy Spirit speak into the hearts and minds of our Muslim students and their families.
- Battle the enemy to diminish the fear of corona virus and flourish the economy of Tanzania and the USA for God’s glory.
Next Life Foundation 