CBM Ministry to Youth
In early July, headlines in Kenyan newspapers read, “Teen pregnancies up by 150,000 during Covid-19 lockdown.” Home from school and bored, many youth turned to sex, drugs, and/or alcohol for entertainment. Suicide rates also increased as lack of jobs, and productive work led to despair. A teacher/staff team led by Teacher Jacob, sought to minister to and help to educate the youth of the Eburru community. Five afternoons a week, they come together with over 40 youth from the community, to counsel, discuss issues related to mental health, play soccer and other meaningful activities. “The youth are self-aware of the glaring pandemic that is sweeping across the world and are at the forefront as foot soldiers to educate the community on the precautionary measures,” states Jacob in his report. The youth have made posters and hung them in different areas of the community, such as shopping areas, electric posts, and security stations. It was also an answer to prayer to see many of the first-timers in church on Sunday.
Recently, they were able to purchase two soccer balls, and the youth are interested in securing jerseys for their soccer team as well. When the teens can find an odd job, usually helping on the local farms, then some of the money they make is put into an account to save for the jerseys. One small step at a time is the vision and as Jacob states, “The youth ministry, as part of our outreach program launched by CBM, has made slow but sure strides to the betterment of the youth in the Eburru community. Through the programs put in place we can say that we have started a journey of a thousand miles towards transforming the lives and mindsets of the youth.”
Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
If you would like to contribute towards jerseys for the youth team or any other area of need as the teachers and staff do ministry in the community, please go to www.davidshope.org/give. Choose general donations and at the end of your “purchase” you can add a note as to where you would like to direct it. It will go towards area of greatest need if nothing is noted.
