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Shortly after Claire was born, I read an article about American Heritage Girls. I was interested from the very start and prayed there would be a troop in our area. Well, Claire was getting closer and closer to being able to join a troop and there was no troop. The person I prayed for that would start a troop in our area was going to be me. So two years ago this summer the process began and in the fall of 2009, AHGNC1715 was born.
This Thursday will be the end of our second year. We have had some ups and downs but I am so proud to be part of this organization. AHG is a Christian organization that’s mission is building women of integrity. The organization is built on a firm foundation. The oath is: “I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country and serve in community.” This really sums up the priorities of the organization. We strive to have the girls grow spiritually through devotions at meetings, the P.R.A.Y program and Scout Sunday. We strive to strengthen families through mother-daughter events, father-daughter dance and family camping. We strive to honor our country through flag ceremonies, Hero Day where we learned about military branches and service projects for our troops. We strive to serve our community through Lee County Fair Booth, bags of supplies for Foster Care Kids, flag ceremony for swearing-in of NC House member, sponsoring Compassion International Kids, decorating the church for Christmas and more.
Oh, and AHG doesn’t have an asterisk beside God and never has. When I started the troop in our area you could go to the Girls Scouts website and there was an asterisk that said you could substitute for your spiritual wording for the word God. I just looked and the asterisk is now gone. I am not sure if they have changed the policy they established in 1993 with “Proposal 3: Flexibility in Spiritual Wording,” or what. My children are involved in secular activities and Christian ones but I don’t want them involved in ones that play with faith. I want it solidly Christian or solidly secular. I have great Christian friends that are involved in Girl Scouts and I am sure they are wonderful troops doing great things. But I did not want to become involved with an organization that puts an asterisk beside God, and has ties with Planned Parenthood and the United Nations. Our values just don’t line up.
I love our local group because we are non denominational. We have Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God, Presbyterian and more. I love this because we are learning to work together for a common belief and goals despite our differences. And I believe that is truly how God wants it. What a wonderful lesson for our children! I love the women I work with that are so dedicated to these girls and this troop. They have made sacrifices and been stretched out of their comfort zones to make this troop better. I love the girls because they have huge hearts and really want to make a difference in this world. I love watching them learn and grow!
So as another year comes to an end, I am so proud and blessed to be an American Heritage Girl.
