Dear Friends,

I am writing to you today as a fellow Christian Scientist who, like you, values the work of The Albert Baker Fund (ABF) to support young Christian Scientists. In fact, I can still remember how I felt when I learned that ABF could help me pay for college.

My first reaction was elation! My family was struggling financially, and the loans I received from ABF were just what I needed to pay for my first year of college.

My second feeling was an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Christian Scientists I had never met who made this possible.

Just knowing that there were people out there who were supporting me and believing in me reminded me to think more about my purpose in life and my practice of Christian Science. I felt like I was part of a community that was looking out for me.

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Helping young Christian Scientists afford college

Over the years, I have looked for ways to pass forward the blessings I received from ABF to the next generation of young Christian Scientists. So when I was asked to serve as a trustee, I eagerly accepted.

Recently, the ABF trustees have been considering whether to continue awarding loans and scholarships in a package to each student.

I am pleased to share with you that ABF has made the decision to move forward with awarding only scholarships. We are delighted to help students graduate with less debt.

Our next step is to replace the loan with a new $1,500 scholarship we have named the Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship. This way students will receive the same amount they have come to rely on. To accomplish this, we need your help.

Here’s how the scholarship works

When you fund a Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship, you are matched to a student who will receive your $1,500 Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship and a $3,000 Albert Baker Scholarship, for a total award of $4,500. When the award is made, we will notify you of the student whom you are supporting.

An invitation to join me

I am excited to be one of the first to fund a Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship and invite you to join me! You can give in one of two ways:

• You can fund (or pledge) a scholarship for one year with a gift of $1,500 or with a monthly gift of $125 for 12 months.
• Or you can make a gift of any size. Although you won’t be matched to a specific student, we will combine it with other gifts to fund scholarships.

I am grateful for the many blessings I received

Years ago, when I received college funding from The Albert Baker Fund, I never imagined I would be in a position to give back.

What I love about this scholarship is that it is not just about writing a check to pay back what you received but thinking about the blessings of your education, the love and support you received from your community, and how you can pass these on to a student today.

If you would like to join me in passing your blessings forward, I hope you will consider this wonderful opportunity to help young Christian Scientists fund their education. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Ellen Coughtry at sueellen.coughtry@albertbakerfund.org or 916-594-9513 (option 3).

Students have already started applying for fall scholarships, so we hope to hear from you soon.

Gratefully,

David Westphal, Trustee
The Albert Baker Fund

ABF has tapped into its expansive community to bring students valuable career advice in the new

Students can use the roadmap as a tool to help target a career path, prepare the resources to make them stand out as a job candidate, and secure the job they want.

Wherever they are in their higher education journey, The ABF College-to-Career Roadmap enables students to be career-ready when they graduate. Each section of the roadmap offers unique resources, so that students can star with the first section, or jump in wherever it makes the most sense for their needs.

Explore each section:

• #1: Find Your Specific Career Targets
• #2: Create Your Professional Profile
• #3: Build your Network
• #4: Apply, Interview, and Get Hired
• #5: Pass Your Blessings Forward!

“My legal education and understanding of Christian Science enabled me… to have our church recognized as a legitimate religious organization.”
– Diana Nakawombe

Dear Friends,

It’s an hour before the Sunday-morning church service at the Christian Science Society in Kampala, Uganda, and no fewer than 15 members have arrived early to set up church on the 7th floor of a youth hostel where they meet each week. Floors must be swept, benches brought from other rooms and wiped down, 100 hymnals carried up from the first floor (no elevator here!), and the church sign put on the curb.

Placing the simple sandwich board sign on a busy street might be the finishing touch to prepare for the service, but to Christian Scientists in Kampala — and Diana Nakawombe, a 2019 Albert Baker Fund (ABF) law school graduate — it represents so much more!

Gaining legal status for her church

Due to the knowledge and skills Diana gained in law school at Uganda Christian University, Kampala’s Christian Science Society has received validation from the Uganda government that it is a legal church entity, with the right to use the name “Christian Science Society.”

Without being granted legal status, the Kampala Society would have been denied the use of its rightful name. With it, the church can open a bank account, purchase property, claim tax-exempt status — and even more importantly, the country of Uganda now recognizes the Kampala Society as a legitimate religious organization.

Diana’s education, as well as her experience as a class-taught Christian Scientist, was essential in guiding her church through the government’s complicated registration process.

Learning to become a more practical Christian

For Diana, the blessing began with finding Christian Science. “Before I found Christian Science, I had low self-esteem. But with Christian Science, I found truth, love, and understanding of my true nature. I loved the idea that Science and Health was the Key to the Scriptures. Fellow Christian Scientists taught me how to read and study the Bible using Science and Health, and I learned to be a more practical Christian.”

From law school to a Masters in Human Rights

When Diana was accepted into law school, The Albert Baker Fund was there to help pay her tuition for all four years.

“I am deeply grateful to ABF. Even with the generous scholarships I received, I needed to work two part-time jobs to cover school expenses. I am now pursuing a Masters in Human Rights and plan to pass the blessing forward by helping those in need.”

Diana’s story is just one example of how ABF scholarship recipients are using their education to bless church, community, and humanity, and how their education expands their influence for good far beyond what they might have thought possible.

Play a part in changing lives and blessing communities

You can play a part in changing lives and blessing communities by making a gift to fund a scholarship for a student living in Africa. These students greatly value their education and pass the blessing forward by helping others, and by actively participating in church activities. Your gift will be awarded 100% as a scholarship to a worthy student.

Thank you for joining with us to help more students such as Diana, who are called to put their faith and understanding into practice and bless others.

Make an online donation today!

With deep appreciation,

Joseph M. Ritter
Chief Executive Officer

Daniel Herbert
Chair, Board of Trustees

PS: Did you know, most of our Africa students can fund a whole year of education with a $900 scholarship from ABF?

PPS: Watch a video thank you from Diana

…and her amazing journey of personal and professional growth–with Christian Science and a clear sense of purpose pointing the way forward.

MAKE AN ONLINE GIFT TODAY!

Triumphing over challenges

Vanessa’s journey began when she moved to California from Mexico and her world seemed completely disrupted. Unfamiliar with a new culture, a new school, and a new language, she struggled to make friends and feel like she belonged.

Now, ten years later, as a recent college graduate, Vanessa speaks fluent English, was selected by her classmates to deliver a graduation address, stays in touch with a close network of friends throughout the US, and has begun her desired career in education.

She is also an active member of her branch church, where she teaches Sunday School.

How church and trust in God made the difference

Vanessa tells of her wholehearted trust in God’s plan for her and the constant flow of love and support she received from her church community— Sunday School teachers, camp counselors, church family, and friends.

“Sunday was (and still is) my favorite day of the week! Every Sunday when I came to my branch church, I felt noticed, valued, and deeply loved! When that is given to you, you can’t help but feel capable, loved, and encouraged to grow!

“Gradually, I began to do well at school, make new friends, and understand more about the truth Christian Science brings.”

Vanessa gained even more confidence in college, where she grew as a student and discovered her passion for education.

“College gave me a greater sense of purpose. I learned that I care a lot about people and I feel compelled to help others lead their way. Something I also care deeply about is seeing everyone as fully capable of surpassing any limitation or obstacle that seems to block their way. I want to show them that there is so much more they can do — the possibilities truly are unlimited!”

Values that bless the world

Now in her second year as an art teacher for an independent K–8 school for boys, Vanessa is still growing and discovering new possibilities.

“In my current job, I’ve been challenged to be a leader that pushes students to grow. What I want my kids to learn, I have to first model for them — honesty, kindness, and integrity.  Daily, I rely on my values and try to apply them in a way that will bless our school community and the world.”

Due to the generosity of friends of The Albert Baker Fund (ABF), we were able to support Vanessa’s professional growth by awarding her a scholarship for each of her four years of college. “It was the extra funding I needed, and I am so grateful for ABF’s support throughout my entire college career,” says Vanessa.

Help fellow Christian Scientists realize their unlimited possibilities

You can help Christian Scientists, such as Vanessa, realize their unlimited possibilities with a gift to one of the many programs offered by The Albert Baker Fund. Your gift may be designated for educational scholarships, career networking, youth leadership and internships, or Christian Science nurses training.

And we are delighted to share that your gift will be doubled if made by December 31, 2019, or until the $10,000 match is met.

MAKE AN ONLINE GIFT TODAY!

Thank you for joining with us to help fellow Christian Scientists realize their unlimited possibilities.

With much gratitude,

Alan R. Bashor
Chief Executive Officer

Daniel Herbert
Chair, Board of Trustees

P.S. Act now to double your scholarship support for fellow Christian Scientists.

P.P.S. Because of you, ABF awarded scholarships to nearly 1,000 Christian Scientists last year. Thank you for your love and support of these students.

We would love to hear from you. If you have any questions about ABF or ideas to share, please contact Sue Ellen Coughtry at sueellen.coughtry@albertbakerfund.org.

Jill Stucker writes from Dubai Airport 

Lamech, (center), with Angele Zeh (left), Christian Science nurse and First Reader at First Church, Douala; and Dominique Bita’a, ABF In-Country Representative (ICR) for Cameroon, and high school teacher of accountancy.

From Brazzaville, Alan departed Africa for meetings in the U.S. Lamech, our Africa Program Manager, and I traveled to our final countries in West Africa: Cameroon, Togo, and Ghana. Everywhere we visited, our fellow Christian Scientists greeted us with love, warmth, and so much gratitude for ABF. Cameroon and Togo are French-speaking countries, but the ever-present love and graciousness of our hosts overcame all potential barriers.

In Cameroon, we were warmly greeted by ABF’s volunteer In-Country Representative (ICR), Dominique Bita’a, a high school teacher of accounting, and Angele Zeh, a Christian Science nurse and First Reader at First Church, Douala. They both are ABF beneficiaries! I was so inspired by the humility, grace, and pure Christian Science love they both demonstrated so naturally. ABF is so fortunate to have them on our team!

After our meeting with local ABF beneficiaries and church elders, we received very positive feedback. They told us how grateful they were for our open communication, and our willingness to listen to their ideas. They especially love that ABF supports their growth and practice of Christian Science.  We all concluded that we are one family, all working together in support of our practice of Christian Science healing. I would never have imagined that I’d be spending Easter Sunday with friends and extended Christian Science family in West Africa! I really can’t describe how lovely it was–and memorable!

Incoming Togo ICR, Semenyo Koffi Anifrani, (left) with Lamech Katamba, ABF Africa Programs Manager, (center) and outgoing ICR,Rodger Glokpor, Christian Science practitioner (right)

Next, we traveled to Lome, Togo, where the airport is new and the roads are too! We expressed many thanks to our outgoing ICR, Rodger Glokpor, now a full-time Christian Science practitioner and Christian Science lecturer, and welcomed our incoming ICR, Semenyo Koffi Anifrani. We met with him along with one of ABF’s beneficiaries, Maxime Youbi Kelonto, communication coordinator for The Mother Church, and thanked them for the wonderful, loving work they are doing to encourage and mentor students in Togo.

Lamech and I felt so inspired hearing how Semenyo, Maxime, and other fellow church members each found Christian Science. Every one of them related how they had been in a time of dire need and how they had felt a deep yearning for God to show them the way. In their search, they each found Christian Science. Everyone shared testimonies of healing, many of which have been published in the Christian Science periodicals !

Our meeting with beneficiaries provided the setting for a good exchange of ideas and information, as the members had many thoughtful questions. They are enthused about the opportunity to give back and even to contribute financially to ABF. The Wednesday testimony meeting was filled with love, inspiration, and testimonies of healing. A reception afterwards in the home of Rita and Paul Yakpo gave us even more time to get to know the church members. We found that Lome, Togo, thrives with progressive ideas and a Christian Science field dedicated to healing. I can’t say enough how appreciative they are of ABF!  They feel that as individual Christian Scientists increase their capacity through education, their study and practice of Christian Science, and their church involvement, that the Christian Science Movement is lifted. This progress leavens the thought in Africa, bringing enlightenment and healing. That is what is happening in Togo!

We wrapped up our trip with our final meeting in Accra, Ghana. I was immediately impressed by ICR Daniel Koku Atidzon, a beneficiary of ABF in Accountancy and who is now a Journal-listed Christian Science practitioner, and George Sognon, currently working towards his Master’s in Development Finance. (See 2 min. video!) We had an enthusiastic and energizing meeting with current and potential beneficiaries, along with church members from all over Accra.

Our beneficiaries couldn’t express enough appreciation to ABF for providing them the opportunity to attend college and at the same time, continue to grow in their understanding of Christian Science. Potential beneficiaries were so grateful to be invited to the meeting and to learn more about ABF. All of the beneficiaries are currently working in their respective areas of study, in good positions. So now they wish to give back to ABF. We learned of the marvelous work going on in Ghana within our Christian Science Movement!

Final Reflections
As Lamech and I wrap up our travels and return to our respective homes, I am filled with immense gratitude for the privilege  of serving on the ABF team, and to have the opportunity to come to Africa so early in my tenure. First-hand experience is truly the only way to understand ABF’s purpose, design, and effectiveness in Africa. It has been awe-inspiring beyond words to witness the progress and significant impact the program has had — not only on individuals and communities, but on the CS movement worldwide. And it could be a “best kept secret” for many Christian Scientists who are not aware of the impact that the African Program is having on our church universal!

It is also a privilege to be working with such an outstanding Africa team. Lamech and Jean Leonard truly are stellar metaphysicians, professionals and leaders. Everywhere we traveled, the feedback was that of respect, admiration and appreciation for the prayerful care and dedication they express to our beneficiaries and ICRs, as well as to church members and perspective recipients.

An overarching insight for me has been to “connect the dots” between ABF and tangible church development and growth here in Africa, as Alan has depicted so beautifully in previous communications. In every country visited, we have seen that it is often the student beneficiaries of ABF who form Christian Science Organizations on campus, and later as alumni they move into their communities to form groups that become Christian Science Societies. And these naturally evolve into Churches! I had no idea how much ABF alumni have helped to forge the Africa field in the development and growth of churches. And it is the youth and alumni who often carry the torch forward through serving in church leadership roles. What a tremendous impact ABF is having on individual lives and entire church communities across Africa, and what a blessing they are for the Cause of Christian Science, worldwide!

My deepest gratitude to everyone for your prayers and support, 

Jill Stucker, Program Manager

Here’s how you can support ABF’s program in 13 African countries!

Alan Bashor writes from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

ABF’s Jean Leonard Ngabo with Asante staff

As I get settled in Brazzaville, I’m still reflecting on our time in Kenya. Since we began our program in Africa in 2003, The Albert Baker Fund (ABF) has supported more students in Kenya than any other country. This week in meetings with current and past students, members of the Board of First Church Nairobi, our Kenyan and Tanzanian In Country Representatives (ICR’s), and long-time trusted friends and advisors, we heard some new ideas that are clearly worth considering. Several things stand out to me: 1) Recipients feel responsible for protecting the beautiful program that ABF has brought to Kenya; 2) Colleges and universities are changing their demands on students for more timely payment of fees, thereby increasing the demand on ABF and the students to function more efficiently; 3) We see encouraging signs that Christian Scientists in Africa are interested in donating to ABF; and 4) I believe our program works because our ICR’s and alumni are mentoring Christian Science students about to enter college.

Yesterday we drove from Nairobi to Narok and visited the Kenya offices of Asante of Africa Foundation. Asante is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and provides educational programs for African Secondary School pupils, generating award-winning results in Kenya and Tanzania. Now, Asante would like to expand into Uganda and Rwanda. Every year, Asante offers week-long “incubator” camp-like sessions for young students and their teachers in either Kenya or Tanzania. We had the opportunity to talk with graduates and the Asante Africa staff, and we concluded that Asante’s focus, particularly on girls’ issues, as well as on leadership, entrepreneurship, world citizenship, and the concept of paying your blessings forward, could be wonderfully helpful to our own African Sunday School students.

Welcoming our new ICR for the Republic of Congo, Davey Ngamoueri

We’re considering whether or not ABF could adapt the program so that ten Christian Science students and teachers could attend. We would arrange for them to live together in their own housing unit so they could hold daily breakout sessions to address the issues of the day from a Christian Science perspective. More than ever, I see the possibilities for ABF students to benefit from this amazing organization’s program. We’ll be exploring more about this later!

Today we met with our long-time Congolese ICR’s from Pointe Noire and Brazzaville. In the most remote CS communities we have visited, we hear our friends and colleagues saying that church growth and progress is being actively supported by the ABF alums who experienced Christian Science healing in school, graduated, and have gone on to pass their blessings forward to their churches, fellow Christian Scientists, and their communities.

In closing, I just want to comment on the gratitude for ABF from our beneficiaries here in Congo and from our on-the-ground volunteers and friends—it has been overpowering. When we ask them to tell us what we can do to improve, they quickly point out how valuable ABF is to the Christian Science community and how much our program means to them.

So now, here are a few comments from Jill, who has been meeting our ICRs and on-the-ground Africa volunteers for the first time!

I’ve been so inspired by our ICR’s, as each one is filled with light, love, and joy. They are so committed to supporting our students, not only by helping process their applications, but primarily in being a voice and a listening ear in the students’ study and practice of Christian Science.

These volunteers are invaluable to our Africa Program. In fact, our Africa program would not be successful if not for our In-Country Volunteers! As ICRs, they work with the students and help them understand each specific step along the application process, prayerfully supporting them and sharing the practical application of Christian Science to meet every need.

ICRs sometimes travel to schools in the area to assure proper and harmonious processing of applications and fees. And while there, they often have the opportunity to explain what The Albert Baker Fund does. These discussions might even lead to the ICRs sharing Christian Science!

Many of our ICRs throughout Africa have become Journal-listed, full-time public Christian Science practitioners and many serve The Mother Church in other various roles. What a blessing they all are to ABF’s work in Africa!

With much love and gratitude,

Alan Bashor, CEO and Jill Stucker, Program Manager

PS By the time you receive this, Jill and Lamech will be on their way to Togo and Ghana, after spending Easter Sunday at First Church of Christ, Scientist, Douala, Cameroon!

Here’s how you can support ABF’s program in 13 African countries!

The survey is administered nationally, since 1966, by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. This year 193,000 first time, full-time students took the survey at 283 colleges and universities.

Two out of three first-year students (66.6 percent) surveyed said they believe current economic conditions significantly affected their choice of college, up from 62.1 percent just two years earlier, when the question was first asked.

Reflecting this concern, students are increasingly placing a premium on the job-related benefits of going to college. The portion of incoming freshmen that cited “to be able to get a better job” as a very important reason for attending college reached an all-time high of 87.9 percent in 2012, an increase from 85.9 percent in 2011 and considerably higher than the low of 67.8 percent in 1976. In the minds of today’s college students, getting a better job continues to be the most prevalent reason to go to college.

Many incoming students also said the ability “to make more money” was a very important reason to attend college; this percentage rose from 71. 7% in 2011 to 74.6 in 2012, another all-time high.

“Students have figured out that increased lifetime earnings result from a college education,” said Sylvia Hurtado, director of HERI. “It is important to continue to encourage a long-term view of the benefits of college in this recovering economy.”

Summary Highlights of Study

• 88% of freshmen surveyed said they were attending college to get a better job (all time high)
• 75% of freshmen said they are attending college to make more money (all time high)
• 81% of freshmen said that one of their personal goals is to be “better off financially” (all time high)
• 66% of all freshmen say economic decisions influenced their decision about which college to attend
• 76% of freshmen were accepted at 1st choice school but only 59% were attending that school

Read the complete study here.