Hello, my friends and family! This is Graham Riley.

In case you don’t know me, I’m the son of Josh and Caroline Riley. I’m 18 and a senior at South Forsyth High School, and I’ll be graduating in May. Before I leave for college in the fall, I’ve got a packed summer full of amazing plans. Most of my summer will be consumed with leading worship for my church’s day camp (a 10-week camp that serves hundreds of children each week), as well as preparing and leading for our student conference (which serves over 600 students from all over the eastern U.S.) Near the end of the summer, from July 21st through August 1st, I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel with 29 other people from my church, which is Perimeter Church in Johns Creek Georgia. We will be going 8,425 miles away to serve the people of Johannesburg, South Africa, and I’d love to share some of my plans with you. 

While on the ground, we will be serving alongside City Hope Church as they serve Impact Africa and Philile in Johannesburg. Impact Africa serves the local community by teaching them English and Life Skills while providing a school for their children during the week. All of this is done through relationships and aims to bring the gospel to them where they are at. This is Impact Africa’s 19th year serving this community. Philile is a school for inner-city children who come from a struggling economic class. We will play games with them, sing for them, and bring much joy to their school day. We will also get to interact with the Youth Ministry of City Hope Church called City Yth. We will attend their ministry, build relationships with their students and worship the Lord together.

Ok.

So why am I sending you this? 

First and foremost, I invite you to be supporting me through prayer. Pray that God will grant me and the entire team the strength, skill, and confidence to do what He has planned for us in South Africa. Pray that He will use us in the best way that He sees fit, and that we will effectively be spreading the Gospel throughout our time there. 

If you are able, I also invite you to support me financially. I need to raise $3,250 to cover the travel, lodging, and food costs of the trip. 

This trip has been on my heart ever since I first heard about it 5 years ago, but due to ye olde pandemic this is the first time that I will be able to go. At this time I am raising awareness about my plans, to find people who are willing to partner with me through prayer and financial means. If you feel led to give, you can either give through the link below (if you've received this by email) or through the box on the right of the page (if you've received this as a link). 

I'm so excited for all that this trip will bring and I hope you will consider supporting me.

Love always,

     - Graham