A Baptist missions organization, Lott Carey, has received a significant $1 million donation from the Alfred Street Baptist Church, a historic Black church in Alexandria, Virginia. This donation, announced during Lott Carey’s annual gathering in Memphis, Tennessee, will support efforts in Ghana to rescue girls trapped in the Trokosi tradition, a system of forced labor and sexual servitude.
Lott Carey’s Historic Donation
The donation, rare for Lott Carey, which operates on a $2.5 million budget, was raised by Alfred Street Baptist Church through a 40-day fast. The church’s members set aside funds they would have spent on daily luxuries to contribute to this cause, ultimately raising $870,000. The church leadership then decided to round up the amount to $1 million using their Tithe-the-Tithe Initiative.
The Fight Against Trokosi Tradition
The Trokosi tradition in Ghana, where girls are handed over to priests as payment for their relatives’ sins, continues despite being criminalized in 1998. The Ghana Baptist Convention will use the donation to rehabilitate these girls, providing them with vocational training to reintegrate into society.
Leadership and Legacy
This donation comes as the Rev. Gina Stewart concludes her tenure as Lott Carey’s president. Stewart, the first woman to lead a Black Baptist organization, played a crucial role in bringing attention to the plight of these girls during her leadership.
Source:
Black Baptist organization gets $1 million megachurch donation to aid African girls
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