For four days in the summer of 2003, in the heart of Nashville, Tenn., more than 8,000 teenage young women will gather to witness, experience and celebrate how God is at work around the world at "SyncroNations," the National Acteens Convention (NAC). Among those teenagers will be approximately 110 young women from the fifteen regional areas of the International Mission Board and seven continental unions of the Baptist World Alliance Women's Department.
The international young women will experience SyncroNations as guests of Woman's Missionary Union through the "Together We Bring" scholarship program. "Our dream," said Evelyn Tully, who serves on SyncroNations' international guests committee, "is that while they're here, they'll have fun and be inspired. The ultimate outcome is that we will equip them with exciting ideas that they will use in their own countries."
The idea of bringing a large group of international young women to the July 29-Aug. 1 NAC was conceived about two years ago when WMU staff began developing a plan to generate worldwide representation at the National Acteens Convention.
WMU hopes that each adult leader who enlisted a young woman to attend SyncroNations will serve as her mentor upon her return to her home country, giving the all-important guidance, instruction, and encouragement needed in church leadership.
A handful of international young women attended the 1998 National Acteens Convention in Louisville, Ky. Katie Lynnaire Davies from New Zealand was one of the young women enlisted through the Baptist World Alliance Women's Department to attend the 1998 NAC.
"Being at NAC helped me see that thousands of other young women love and live for the same God as me," Davies said. "NAC gave me a fresh perspective on serving God and is helping me in my walk with God." Since attending NAC, Davies has earned her degree in music education and is currently teaching at a Christian school.
The estimated cost to bring the 110 international young women to the event is $220,290 for airline tickets, NAC registration fees, lodging and meals. State WMU organizations, Acteens groups, churches, associations, and individuals are paving the way financially to make the dream a reality. Contributions are being received at "Together We Bring" NAC International Scholarship Fund, Woman's Missionary Union, P.O. Box 830010, Birmingham, AL 35283-0010.
For information, contact Evelyn Tully at (205) 408-5518 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Registration for SyncroNations, the National Acteens Convention, begins Jan. 1. Registration is open to all Acteens and any girl who has completed the 7th through 12th grades. See www.SyncroNations.com for more information.
