Story number 3 for 5 Jun 2001

(South Africa)–“Fifty-percent of kids under the age of 15 will not make their 18th birthday.” Book of Hope’s John Young says that is the reality facing youth in South Africa in the shadow of an AIDS epidemic. He says that’s also why their last series of youth Gospel meetings met with hundreds coming to Christ. “It was just phenomenal. The way that the churches have jumped in and are really excited about the vision of reaching the kids. That’s the answer; if we can reach the young people, then we can really have an impact on what’s going on within the culture.” Young adds that much of the outreach is extending beyond the young people. He asks people to pray. “Our heart is to see these kids’ lives changed, by the Lord, and to really be touched. Just pray for these folks that are involved that God would just move mightily across South Africa. Pray that there would be a great union with all the different churches.”