Riley Unlikely: With Simple Childlike Faith, Amazing Things Can Happen

by Riley Banks-Snyder

Overview

Riley Unlikely is the inspiring story of Riley Banks, who first traveled to Kenya at age 13, and has been back every year since bringing backpacks of school supplies and hygiene kits for young girls, developing relationships and friendships, and is currently, as a young millennial, raising money to build a complete learning complex in Kibwezi, Kenya for those who have nothing.

At age sixteen Riley learned that, because of a rare medical condition, she would never be able to have her own children. Devastating news to most young women, especially those who love children and have always dreamed of having their own family. But Riley’s response was: Kenya has given me a thousand children.

Riley’s stories of her trips to Kenya, her struggles to figure out how to best serve and care for these people she has fallen in love with, and her own unexpected health issues are funny, compelling and gripping. Readers will find that God writes surprising stories in the lives of those who follow Him. Hard to put down, Riley Unlikely will inspire you to pursue your dreams and make a difference in your own world—and around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310347873
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	09/22/2016
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Riley Banks-Snyder is the founder and executive director of Generation Next, a non-profit she established at the age of 14. Generation Next has built and oversees a school in Kibwezi, Kenya, and runs a thrift shop and food pantry in Branson, Missouri, to fund operations. Riley’s heart is for Africa - and for reminding every young person that they can do more to change the world than they could ever imagine. She lives in Branson, MO with her husband and family. www.generationnextcares.org

Table of Contents

Prologue: An Unlikely Love Story 11

1 Swinging Doors and Sacrifices 15

2 It Takes a Village 21

3 Culture Shock 24

4 Bin Beds for Babies 29

5 Mosop 37

6 The Stub of a Pencil 42

7 Generation Next 48

8 Operation Teenager 52

9 Little Kids Giving Big 55

10 Kid Missionaries 59

11 Mumo 64

12 From West to East 69

13 The Boda-Boda Business 74

14 School, Interrupted 81

15 Not So Different 86

16 A Desperate Need 92

17 A Little Bit of Everything 97

18 Generosity 102

19 A Wink and a Grin 105

20 Healing and Hope 112

21 The Dedication 117

22 Something's Missing 126

23 Unraveling 131

24 A Hope and a Future 136

25 A New Direction 140

26 Out of the Blue 143

27 Walking on Water 146

28 Shattered Dreams 150

29 Bittersweet Deliveries 156

30 Planting the Future 164

Acknowledgments 169

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/11/2016
Banks-Snyder, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Generation Next, tells her story about tenaciously transforming passion into performance. At the age of 12, Banks longed to go to Africa to make a difference. While most teenagers simple muse about their ambitions, Banks put her plans into action. By 14, she had started Generation Next, which helped to fund the construction of a school in Kibwezi, Kenya. Alongside her nonprofit, Banks also runs a thrift shop and food pantry in Branson, Mo., to fund her missions’ projects. With the assistance and support of her parents, Banks fulfilled her goal to travel to Africa and, once in Kenya, a wealth of new ministry ideas was born. In an unexpected turn, Banks later found out that she was unable to have any children of her own due to a rare physical condition. The discovery was a severe blow to Banks, but she kept moving forward and focused on improving the lives of Kenyan children. This is a heartwarming tale of empathy, selflessness, and perseverance. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly