Serving in Africa

Reno Anderson has a heart for others, especially for young women in Africa.

Anderson, who moved to Cape Girardeau in 2006, was initially connected to young African women through she and her family's sponsorship of a young girl named Seba. And although sponsorships through charitable organizations are important, Anderson wanted to do more.

This desire would later be fulfilled as she became more connected with World Vision. After doing research for the organization in the early 1990s, her desire to make a difference continued. She realized after meeting a woman in Malawi the need to help young women receive an education.

Over the next seven years, Anderson along with a group of eight women, raised funds, built a school and worked with educators to form a curriculum.

Anderson said that according to those at the World Vision office near the school there have been significant improvements. Young women are staying in school longer and the incidences of teenage marriages have dropped.

Others in the area have also reached out to help those in Africa and other parts of the world. About 80 individuals from local churches are in Swaziland now as part of the Heart for Africa mission trip. The group had planned to work at Project Canaan on construction and agricultural projects, among other things. Project Canaan, a 2,500-acre tract in Swaziland, will also be the site of an orphanage.

It's exciting to see folks in Southeast Missouri reach out to those less fortunate in other countries. Some families choose to make their vacation a mission trip to help others, whether here in the U.S. or abroad. We applaud these individuals and churches involved and know that each person, while blessing others, will also be blessed by serving.