Two young women’s groups in different parts of Virginia recently partnered to prepare teens in Amherst and Nelson counties for a day of outer beauty — their senior prom — while also highlighting the inner beauty of women who love God, themselves and others.
“NorthStar Young Women’s Network, Daughters of Light, began in 2011 with the dream of seeing young women stay connected with God during the transition years of their life,” said Artemia Tamayo, coordinator of The Prom Project. This group of young women from Northern Virginia had sponsored several inaugural events in their area but was interested in connecting with women in ministry with similar interests in another area.
Young women from Daughters of Light and myMission Piedmont who partnered for The Prom Project are (front row, from left) Ivonne Obando, Lily Dobson, Ana-Corinne Bell, Jill Lee , Leslie Bell, (back row) Laura Cash, Amy Hall, Artemia Tamayo, Sharon Aldridge, April Markis and Marcela Serpa-Polo. Not pictured is Katherine Jimene, who shot the photograph.
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Meanwhile, myMission Piedmont, an initiative of the Piedmont Baptist Association’s Woman’s Missionary Union which includes younger women, was involved in ministry to families receiving assistance at New Prospect Baptist Church in Monroe, Va. Through their experiences distributing personal items at its clothes closet and food bank located across from the church, the women felt a prom event and “pamper me experience,” as Amy Hall, leader of myMission Piedmont, puts it, “would allow teens to see their beauty and discover how God created them as his daughter and in his image.”
Joining forces the women’s groups sponsored The Prom Project. The Daughters of Light reached out to young women on college campuses in their area to bring gently used formal wear to the student ministry center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. They also reached out to churches in the NorthStar Church Network and — even the night before the group left for the Feb. 16 event — dresses were coming in, said Tamayo.
“Their array of prom dresses, shoes, jewelry and a pre-prom devotional booklet combined with the contributions from myMISSION Piedmont and Piedmont Association churches made a significant impact on these teens,” said Hall. Of the assortment of 40 to 50 dresses available, approximately 22 girls were able to receive formal wear and accessories.
“The smiles, shrieks of joy and outer transformations, and just a time of being spoiled by getting their nails, hair and make-up done, was priceless,” said Hall. At the end of the day, a fashion show with the teens dressed for the prom was held while ladies from both associations looked on.
“Sometimes it’s hard to connect beauty on the outside with beauty on the inside,” said Tamayo. “As we shared with the teens we wanted to make sure they knew they were a creation of God and he had made them who they were and also who they dreamt they could be.”
On their way back to Northern Virginia the Daughters of Light made an overnight stop at Crossroads Camp and Conference Center, staying at the House of Happiness — a perfect name for the sentiment of the weekend, said Tamayo.
Will the groups partner again? “We are aware that our ministry can’t go there every weekend, but we know that myMision Piedmont is there and doing a great job,” said Tamayo. “We want to encourage them to continue to do great things. One day they may come and serve alongside us in the future.”
Barbara Francis ([email protected]) is on the staff of the Religious Herald.