Mercy International Congratulates Nine-year-old for Reaching Her Goal of Raising $25,000 to Build a School in Uganda, Africa

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

Read-a-thon

SAN ANTONIO, TX (ANS) -- Nine-year-old Natasha Leininger read a book about another child who raised funds for charity by shooting baskets, so she tried to shoot baskets to raise funds for a charity project.

After shooting 1,000 three throws, Natasha only made 4, so basketball was out -- but she still had a vision for helping children in Africa.

God made Natasha a good reader so she turned to books and, with the support of her family, her University Model(tm) School Summit Christian Academy, and her church, Cross Mountain Church in San Antonio, Texas, Natasha inspired other students to participate in the first annual "From One Child to Another" Read-a-thon.

Natasha's child friends called their friends and family and knocked at doors for sponsors, while Natasha spoke at churches and organizations across San Antonio.

$25,000 seemed a heady goal for a 9-year-old, but this week Natasha presented a check for $25,000 to Les Huffman of Uganda Tree of Life Ministries for a school. She will also be traveling to Africa for the ribbon-cutting ceremony when the school is finished.

Natasha has now set her sights higher for next year to raise $60,000 for an orphanage in Uganda with a nationwide Read-a-thon.

Next week she will speak at a national school convention. Sixty schools across the country have already committed to holding a "From One Child to Another" Read-a-thon.

According to a media release, a spokesman for Mercy International said: "We commend Natasha for her example of someone who has not let her age limit what God can do through her life.

"We encourage everyone to help Natasha help orphans in Africa by holding a Read-a-thon in your school, church, or city and by getting the word out about this amazing 9-year-old's heart and efforts."

Mercy International was founded in 2010 by Dr. John Leininger, founder and President Emeritus of Harvest International. He has for the past 23 years taken medical teams into rural parts of Haiti to treat people who are extremely poor and have no access to health care.

For more information about Natasha and holding a Read-a-thon or to speak to Natasha, contact Natasha's mom Shantel Leininger at skleininger@yahoo.com  or 210-325-5037 or Clayton Trotter at ctrotter@mercyintl.org  or 210-473-7333.

Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter