How to reach the youth with the gospel has been a question that many ask. When you see them in groups with their hairstyle long and straight and brushed over their faces, cigarettes in the hand, chains attached to their cloths, white T-shirts and black jeans worn low, tennis shoes and all thin or slender. It can be a bit intimidating if you have to walk through them. There is no difference between the dress of guys and the gals. Recently we had a group of youth that were in the park below our apartment building in the afternoons. Their bad language and loud talk and music, meant we kept the windows shut and the kids attention away from them. The question what do we do? The group eventually started staying later and later in the evenings. One night the police came at 4am and sent them away. The next night they were back again , this time at 11pm the police came, they found weapons, drugs and alcohol but just gave them a warning. The group has not been back again- most of them are under age and we wonder what or where their parents think they are, we also wonder what the parents are doing in guiding their kids into adulthood.
Our local church here has many people with a heart to reach the youth and also their parents. At the beginning of May a 3 day camp for youth was run by nearly 160 volunteers ( including Carlos) from our church. There was great music, skits, preaching as well as other fun activities such as canoing through a swamp, commando crawling under and over obstacles. Team work and relationship building all took place. Of the 270 youth at the camp about 80% gave their hearts to the Lord. Since then many are coming weekly to free workshops of guitar, singing, dance etc followed by teaching. The youths parents will been attending different workshops. Discipling, teaching them a different way, keeping them occupied. Time, creativity and commitment are all things we need to give to reach the youth of today. Many of these kids have sad stories to tell of home life. They are looking to feel loved and accepted. Just like the street kids with whom we work.
In the street kids ministry it is good to see the older youth involved in the looking after the younger kids. Many of them are wanting to help change the lives of other kids. Those that are doing tertiary studies are in areas of serving or planning to use their degrees to influence society for the good in one way or another rather than just to make money.
Our local church here has many people with a heart to reach the youth and also their parents. At the beginning of May a 3 day camp for youth was run by nearly 160 volunteers ( including Carlos) from our church. There was great music, skits, preaching as well as other fun activities such as canoing through a swamp, commando crawling under and over obstacles. Team work and relationship building all took place. Of the 270 youth at the camp about 80% gave their hearts to the Lord. Since then many are coming weekly to free workshops of guitar, singing, dance etc followed by teaching. The youths parents will been attending different workshops. Discipling, teaching them a different way, keeping them occupied. Time, creativity and commitment are all things we need to give to reach the youth of today. Many of these kids have sad stories to tell of home life. They are looking to feel loved and accepted. Just like the street kids with whom we work.
In the street kids ministry it is good to see the older youth involved in the looking after the younger kids. Many of them are wanting to help change the lives of other kids. Those that are doing tertiary studies are in areas of serving or planning to use their degrees to influence society for the good in one way or another rather than just to make money.
Ministry TeamApart from being involved in church life Carlos has been continuing to tutor kids in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. He continues to visit street people with the street team and his time is taken up doing lots of other things in the ministry, mostly helping in the administrative side of things. 
Simon and Alex in the park
It was sad to say goodbye to BJ from NZ. He did a great job fixing things especially all of the leaking roofs. We hope that he will be back soon and maybe bring some friends to do some more work. We are always happy to see fellow kiwis come and serve with us.
Simon and Alex in the parkIt was sad to say goodbye to BJ from NZ. He did a great job fixing things especially all of the leaking roofs. We hope that he will be back soon and maybe bring some friends to do some more work. We are always happy to see fellow kiwis come and serve with us.
The ministry newsletter with all the news from the different areas has been written. We will post it on the ministry website tomorrow so you can have a read about all the things that are going on in the various areas of the ministry. The link to the website is on the right of this page.
Farewelling BJ at the airport
For your prayers:
-Please pray for more long term volunteers for the ministry.
-For Carlos as the current book he is translating is dragging out. He needs new energy and time to work on it.
-The school year finishes next week. Two months of holiday for the boys. Please pray that we can keep them occupied and happy and still get our ministry work done.
-Keep praying for safety, street crime is on the rise. It is now not safe to go many places alone where we once did because of muggings.
-Pray for Gabriela as she learns new things daily.
-Please pray for me as I organize the schedule for three teams and short term volunteers over the next few months.
-Please continue to pray for more people to join our support team and for God's provision in our finances.
Until next time
Katrina for all
