Beauty with a Purpose

Hello my sisters and brothers in Christ!

I pray you and yours are doing well. I am doing awesome, all praises to my Father in Heaven. As I previously mentioned, I will be competing next month for the title of Miss World America and the opportunity to represent the United States at Miss World 2016 (#MWA2016). Miss World titleholders and contestants worldwide are required to have a cause that they advocate for during their time of service. BWAP is a registered charity and a non-profit organization, and it raises money and participates in humanitarian projects across the world. This program was created by Mrs. Julia Morley, chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, in 1972. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised and donated to local and international organizations in aid of disadvantaged children worldwide; its slogan is "Helping Children Worldwide." Causes that have benefited from Beauty with a Purpose include: funding for Cleft Palate teams in South America, Sri Lanka and Russia; three fundraising tours to support abandoned and neglected children in Vietnam; long term support for both Operation Hunger and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Africa; as well as teaming up with Jackie Chan and the Chinese Red Cross in bringing financial aid to those most seriously affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. At the Miss World pageant, the Beauty with a Purpose event was established in 2001. It is awarded to the contestant with the most relevant and important charity project in her nation, determined by a panel of judges; since 2005, the winner automatically makes the semifinals.

As a Miss World America national finalist, we are required to have a Beauty with a Purpose project. The national pageant mirrors the international pageant, so contestants compete in challenges presented at Miss World, except talent. I will share my BWAP video soon when MWA releases it on Youtube, and I will be doing a 3-minute speech on pageant week talking about my BWAP project. My BWAP project is "Mentor Leadership: Importance of Mentoring Our Youth." My goals with this BWAP project include: (1) encourage today's youth to reach their full potential and live a purposeful life; (2) inspire the youth to make wise decisions in school, family, and friendships; (3) ignite or increase the interest of girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; (4) and encourage the youth to grow into the women and men of character and integrity that God created them to be.

Miss World America 2016 National Finalist - Ruby B. Johnson
Pauline Primary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa

I believe that one of the most important characteristic a mentor must embody is encouragement. A mentor must be encouraging to their mentee, and their words must be life-giving. Therefore, I saw it necessary to include this as one of the layers of my BWAP project on mentoring advocacy. Mentors must instill into their youth the ambition to reach their full potential and live a purposeful life. This is why I am involved with organizations such as African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) and Special Olympics Maryland. A life without purpose is a worthless life. As a mentor, my prayer is that my mentees will get to know what God's will for their life is and how they will be used on earth for His glory. I want the youth of today to know that there is a reason for them to still be alive, and for them to know that each of them have something different they can contribute in their communities. It is important to know that there is a place for everyone; they will grow up to become engineers, lawyers, housewives, presidents, artists, senators, army officers, athletes, actors/actresses, teachers, etc. God has given each and every one of us different talents and skills, therefore we must harness them and reach for excellence in our path.

Talking with the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation youth

The second layer of my Beauty with a Purpose platform is inspiring today's youth to make wise decisions in school, family, and friendships. In the past, folks have always teased me because I have always done things with caution. I am the type of person that would say "I can't post this because my opponent will use that against me when I run for office" or "I can't do that because I am a future pastor's wife." Even if these things are not part of God's will for my future, I still hold on to these as guidelines for me not to make unwise decisions that I will regret in years to come. In the social media-driven society that we live in now, it is so easy for poor decisions made by individuals to be used against them, especially when they least expect it. This is not about being politically correct, rather, it is about using wisdom in the choices one makes; thinking not only about today but also tomorrow. Down the line, I want my future husband and children to be proud of what they hear about me, not embarrassed and ashamed. Yes, I have and will make mistakes sometimes, but it is imperative to hold on tight to wisdom. That is why it is so important to be led by the Holy Spirit at all times. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:4-5.

AIRF youth

God bless you.

Jesus loves you.

Restored woman living for God's Glory,
Ruby B. Johnson.

Have you given your heart to God? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior? If you die today, will you make it to Heaven? If no or you are unsure, do not waste any more time and receive salvation now.