global youth - youthHOPE

My Call to Zambia, “The Womb of Africa”

May 18, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

Guest blog post from Andrew Maina, Global Youth Worker in Zambia. The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you”. Genesis 12:1. (NIV). My journey, from my birth place in Kenya, to Zambia began one year ago. I quit my position as associate pastor into a season of 40 days of prayer and waiting on the Lord. Afterward, it became very plain to my wife of 7 years Grace and I, that the Lord wanted us to move to Zambia to serve as missionaries among the youth. The Lord connected us with YouthHOPE, a vibrant and dynamic ministry of like minded, passionate believers sold out to global youth ministry. We packed our bags, and my wife quit her job in Kenya. We called our family and friends together, bid them farewell, and with zero budget and an Abrahamic faith launched into the waters of central Africa. The Lord supernaturally provided the air …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Global Youth Worker Stories, Gospel Tagged With: Christ, church, global youth, global youth ministry, youth ministry, Zambia

“My first born daughter of Uganda”

May 9, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

Deborah's life is a testimony to God's good work and a glimpse at the way He transforms lives. Deborah was young when Lena Pira sponsored her through African Renewal Ministries (ARM). Lina has a heart to train up a new generation of Christian leaders and she saw great potential in young Deborah. The two started to exchange letters back and forth. In 2006 Lina went to Uganda to work with ARM ministries and had the privilege of finally meeting Deborah face to face. "She was very shy, reserved, and not quite sure of herself or how to interact with me," recalls Lina. In 2007 Lina returned to Uganda to work near Deborah's school. They enjoyed each others company and began to form a unique bond. Deborah would visit her during the day and volunteer her time to work alongside Lina in her free time. Lina saw the potential in Deborah as God's daughter. "Over the years I have seen her transform from a shy 8 year old to a …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Global Youth Worker Stories Tagged With: Christ, church, community, current events, education, global youth, global youth ministry, holistic needs, relationships, sponsorship, youth ministry

Childhood Marriage – a reality for millions

April 25, 2012 by Angie Leave a Comment

I have a twelve-year-old daughter. She loves to dance and sing and act. She is a free spirited girl. I still call her my baby. Today I read a statistic that makes my heart hurt. According to the United Nations website, in rural Yemen the average age of marriage for girls was 12-13 years old. Twelve…married? That is a startling reality. But child marriage, defined as marriage before the age of 18, is not that uncommon in the rural developing world even outside of Africa. In fact, South Asia has the highest percentage of child marriages. In India and Bangladesh the percentage of girls wed before reaching what we would consider “adulthood” is 50%. According to Unicef, “Marrying girls under 18 years old is rooted in gender discrimination, encouraging premature and continuous child bearing and giving preference to boys’ education. Child marriage is also a strategy for economic survival as families marry …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Global Needs Tagged With: adolescence, bangladesh, childhood marriage, culture, education, global health issue, global youth, poverty

Impacting Business Leaders is as easy as 1,2,3!

April 18, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

We have an exciting announcement to make at YouthHOPE for the youth of Myanmar! God has opened doors for three international business as mission trainers from Chiang Mai, Thailand to train our summer internship participants and the Myanmar business community on business as mission skills. Originally our summer interns were going to travel to a conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand before coming to Myanmar. However, due to lack of interest from college students there, the company was forced to cancel the training. Our interns still needed training before this summer so he asked the trainers if they’d come to Myanmar instead. Their calendars were free and they accepted! It gets better! In wanting to make their time in Myanmar worthwhile, Ryan talked with a couple of organizations in his network and the response was overwhelming. He approached the Myanmar Chamber of Commerce about doing a two hour session with some of their …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Global Needs Tagged With: community, current events, education, global needs, global youth, global youth worker, holistic needs, Interns, job creation, opportunities, Southeast Asia, unemployment

Hope and Hunger: The Games We Play

April 17, 2012 by Aaron Leave a Comment

“Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear. A little is effective, a lot is dangerous.” Those are the words of President Snow from the film Hunger Games (you can watch the actual clip here). I just went to see it with my family and some co-workers this weekend. I had read the trilogy last year after my youngest daughter, Sofi, started reading them. The publisher primarily targeted the teen/young adult literature market, but they have become the latest craze crossing generational lines, similar to the Harry Potter series. The books were by far some of the best fiction that I had read in a long time. Since I’ve become familiar with them, I have noticed that there has been a lot written about the underlying socio-political messages the books bring to the table. The gamut stretches from identifying the saga with the “occupy” movement, to Fox News talking about an anti big government message. Even the Christian …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Media Reviews Tagged With: adolescence, Christ, culture, current events, global youth, Hope, Jesus, videos, youth

Church… ZZZZZZ????

March 16, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

A recent update from one of our global youth workers in Chile: How discouraging is it to invite someone new to a church service and they are bored to death by an hour long sermon and never want to come back? We love the church and know how vital it is to be part of a local church. So what can we do? Habacuc, Liz, and I discussed this topic on the balcony for hours - a bit depressed. We wondered why anybody comes at all if dry sermons are the main problem. There are definitely times when we don't want to go for that reason. But the sermons can't be what's most important about church, right? You can listen to the best preachers in the world online anytime if you want. No, what's important is relationships! Our conversation began to take a turn for the positive. A fair number of young people in their late twenties and thirties never leave the church. They know that things should be different, but most of them have …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Global Youth Worker Stories Tagged With: church, global youth, global youth ministry, global youth worker, gospel, partners, relationships

Potential Energy

March 13, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

I spent 4 years studying the body, how it works and functions. Every function of the body is a result of stored potential energy. Runners use this form of energy by positioning their legs at the most optimum angle in the starting blocks. Divers depend on the potential energy in the elasticity of the diving board to launch them into the air. These athletes see the advantage of positioning themselves and others on their team in a place where they can use potential energy in its purest form. On March 10th, 2012 there were an estimated 6.9 billion people in the world, half of which are under the age of 25. If I did my math right, that is equal to 450.5 trillion BTUs (British Thermal Units) of potential energy (averaging 150 lb person) in the youth of the world. Lets put that in practical terms shall we?? That is the same amount of energy contained in- 78 million barrels of crude oil 4 billion gallons of gasoline 1600 …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Global Needs Tagged With: adolescence, Christ, church, global needs, global youth, missiology, mission work, relationships, resources, youth, youth group

Worship: England vs. Singapore

March 1, 2012 by Adam Leave a Comment

Resources are slim within global youth ministry. In preparation for my transition to full-time youth ministry in Thailand I have tried to do as much research as possible, most of it highly informal asking anyone willing to listen if they have any books, articles, or anything of the like to recommend that might help prepare me for doing youth ministry cross-culturally, or more specifically in SE Asia. The fruit of the search has mainly been books on Buddhism. I was pleasantly surprised this week when I came across an article, in The Journal of Youth Ministry (JYM), on worship among youth in Singapore. The JYM always puts out great highly academic work. This article compared research done in Singapore with previous research done on worship among youth in England. (The article can be found on page 85 of Volume 10, No. 1 of the JYM) The part of the article that stuck out to me most was the fact that youth from both countries saw the …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, YM Advice Tagged With: culture, engage, global youth, spiritual growth

A look back: ‘Ends of the Earth’ 2012

February 23, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

Check out our journey "to the ends of the earth" and hear from youth pastors about the ride. Thanks to all for your help and support to help the Hillman's reach youth in Bulgaria in Jesus name!! Click on VIMEO to see video on a bigger screen! …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Outreach Tagged With: Bulgaria, global needs, global youth, global youth ministry, global youth worker, missiology, support raising, videos, youth, youth group

“You will be my witnesses… TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”

February 3, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -Acts 1:8 Tomorrow, our team of 12 riders will be cycling 300 miles to do what Jesus says we can do through the power of the Holy Spirit- to be witnesses of Christ in Florida, Bulgaria, and 'To the Ends of the Earth.' God has provided a way for YouthHOPE and youth ministers from 7 different churches throughout the Fort Myers area to come together for the same cause- to reach the unreached youth of Bulgaria with the love of Christ. Not only has God been faithful to provide riders, churches, and support for the ride,but He has also opened doors to share with the surrounding community the need for servants in youth ministry around the world. We pray that through this ride we glorify the Father on earth, having accomplished the work that he gave us to do …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Outreach Tagged With: Bulgaria, Christ, church, community, current events, global needs, global youth, global youth ministry, global youth worker, outreach, prayer, support raising, unity, youth ministers, youth ministry

Urban Action- Shaking too much dust?

January 25, 2012 by B Sue Leave a Comment

At YouthHOPE one of our 4 core values focuses on relationships. We work in community and through communities to build partnerships of shared learning, trust and responsibility. Our partners at Urban Action have a unique opportunity to share Christ by building relationships through skate ministry in Chile. Here is a recent blog post about what God has been teaching them through their relationships with the skate boarding community: Click here to read more blogs by Urban Action. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town." - Matthew 10:14 Have you ever heard someone quote this passage in a conversation about sharing faith in Jesus? So, if I give somebody a tract, or tell them the 4 Spiritual laws, or explain the Roman Roads, or just tell them I go to church and they don’t immediately decide to follow Christ - I’m done, right? I’m pretty sure …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Global Youth Worker Stories Tagged With: Chile, community, core values, disciples, global youth, global youth ministry, global youth worker, gospel, holistic needs, Jesus, partners, relationships, youth, youth ministry

Transformational youth ministry-Malawi & Zambia Internship 2012

January 20, 2012 by Katie Leave a Comment

Youth training for Foundations for Farming in the village of Eg'chickeni.

At YouthHOPE, we have the privilege of working with awesome global youth workers throughout the world who have a heart to see the lives of youth transformed by God. These people are in the trenches, working daily to bring the truth of Christ to the youth they interact with. Some of the global youth workers that I am blessed to work with are the same wonderful people who were hosts to my intern team this past summer, Rutherford and Tsahai Banda in Malawi and Lloyd Ng’ambi in Zambia. I was privileged with the opportunity to spend the summer working alongside these amazing servants in their ministries and I am excited about the opportunities in front of our intern team for 2012! Currently, it is estimated that 21% of the population in Zambia is made up of youth between the ages of 15-24. These youth are facing many difficulties, including unemployment, lack of education, and HIV/AIDS. Lloyd, Director of Youth, Synod of …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Global Youth Worker Stories, Internships Tagged With: global youth, global youth ministry, global youth worker, Interns, Internships, leadership development, Malawi, unemployment, Zambia

Same Same but Different

January 5, 2012 by Kristy 1 Comment

Same same but different- definition: being one or identical though having diverse names, aspects, locations, etc. This summer everywhere we went we heard this term "same same but different". I can't think of a better way to describe the youth culture of the world; it is the same same but different everywhere. From the Beatles, to Elvis, to the current teen idol of choice Justin Bieber; youth have been awestruck by teen idols for decades. Young American girls are not the only ones mesmerized by teen pop super stars. In Europe, millions of youth tuned in last year to watch the marriage of Prince William to his new bride Kate. A more recent royal wedding took place one month ago where multitudes of youth in South Asia crowded to the wedding of the King heart throb of Bhutan, turning the "simple and traditional wedding" into what looked like a grand celebration. Just like Justin Bieber is popular to the girls of …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, YM Advice Tagged With: global youth, Southeast Asia, youth culture, youth ministry

Can’t Alleviate Poverty Without….

December 29, 2011 by B Sue Leave a Comment

About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today and almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. With few resources to meet their basic needs, youth who are in poverty are trying to make ends meet in order to survive. This is a deadly disease and is a widespread pandemic. And believe it or not, income differentials are widening, which means the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. Poverty is persistent, deadly and breeds hopelessness. But the local church is even more persistent breaking down the walls of impoverished people. In Southeast Asia, global youth workers are creating an entrepreneurship school. In Zambia, youth now have access to sustainable jobs and better farming techniques through youth worker training. In Malawi, youth are given HIV education in secondary schools, and the youth workers are empowering the youth …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Global Needs Tagged With: church, global youth, holistic needs, poverty, relationship, youth

Isaiah 61

December 16, 2011 by B Sue Leave a Comment

This year the focus of Isaiah 61 (i61) was to make known the injustices of slavery among youth. Many young people of the world don’t have a family network to keep them safe and face circumstances of deep poverty. This leaves youth with limited opportunities, which in turn leads them into risky situations that can put them in harm’s way. An estimated 27 million people are caught in a form of slavery today. This is what Tati Leal-Oliveria, a i61 youth participant, had to say about her experience. “I couldn't even imagine that in the history of slavery, right now is the time that there is the most. The I61 conference allowed me to become more aware of what is actually happening outside of the US and right under our own noses… The conference was one the coolest experiences I've been through and I can't wait for next year's.” Isaiah 61:1 declares that “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has …
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Conferences, General Tagged With: conferences, global youth, human trafficking, slavery

My Call to Zambia, “The Womb of Africa”

“My first born daughter of Uganda”

Childhood Marriage – a reality for millions

Impacting Business Leaders is as easy as 1,2,3!

Hope and Hunger: The Games We Play

Church… ZZZZZZ????

Potential Energy

Worship: England vs. Singapore

A look back: ‘Ends of the Earth’ 2012

“You will be my witnesses… TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”

Urban Action- Shaking too much dust?

Transformational youth ministry-Malawi & Zambia Internship 2012

Same Same but Different

Can’t Alleviate Poverty Without….

Isaiah 61

Blog Archives

YouthHOPE's flickr stream

Partner With Us – Fill out a Ministry Application!

Receive YouthHOPEs E-News

Newsletter Signup

Noteworthy Reads

Youth Worker Mishaps – Freedom

Isaiah 61

Our Summer Interns are AMAZING!

Holistic Youth Worker

Blog Posts

Recommended Blogs

May 2012
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Apr
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

Blog Archives

YouthHOPE's flickr stream

Partner With Us – Fill out a Ministry Application!

Receive YouthHOPEs E-News

Newsletter Signup

Noteworthy Reads

Topics of Interest

Blog Posts

Recommended Blogs