Thousands of children in southern Africa have heard the Gospel through Reach4Life. (Photo courtesy of WHI)
Southern Africa (MNN) ― The global financial crisis is threatening efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, as countries around the world cut back on funds for medical relief.
Some countries that suffer high rates of infection are scaling back their healthcare budgets, and it remains to be seen whether U.S. president Barack Obama will fulfill his campaign promises for AIDS relief.
However, the ministry of World Hope International to youth in countries severely impacted by the AIDS virus is still going strong, and it has an opportunity to expand.
WHI uses a special "Reach4Life" New Testament developed by International Bible Society/Send the Light to reach African youth with the message of the Gospel and God's plan for their lives. It also uses a 40-lesson "AIDS-oriented, young people-targeted curriculum" that complements the New Testament, said WHI's David Erickson.
"It introduces people to the Gospel," Erickson explained. "It helps them wrestle individually and among their peers with what it means to live a life of purity. We're inviting people into life transformation, where by God's grace and with the power of the Holy Spirit, they can continue to live a life that will give them a future and protect them from HIV/AIDS."
The program has operated for two and a half years and has already impacted more than 70,000 youth. It offers hope to every young person it touches, including those who have made poor choices or become infected with the deadly virus.
"If they are already infected or have been promiscuous, it invites them into a future that has a profound hope at the center of it. And it's a hope that rests in the liberating power of Jesus Christ," Erickson said.
The Gospel-oriented program relies on the power of God's Word to bring about real change in young lives. It uses the New Testament to discuss sin, Jesus Christ, and the cost of discipleship.
"With this tool, it's not just up to human teaching; this is Biblical truth," Erickson said. "We claim the promises of Scripture that the Word of God is quick and powerful and is able to transform. And as they read the New Testament, the Holy Spirit will help interpret and apply it."
The program acknowledges the challenges that young people face when they choose to make good decisions. The influence of the media is strong in the developing world like it is in the developed world, so young Christians must deal with that as well as with other problems like self-image and peer pressure.
The program discusses "what does it mean to be different, and how can that be a wonderful thing rather than a stigmatizing thing," Erickson said. Ultimately, the Gospel has a much greater impact on the lives of youth than a simple commitment to abstinence.
"The challenge is to live into a life of purity--of biblical purity. That's a higher standard than abstinence, and it's one that by the presence and the transforming power of Jesus Christ is possible," Erickson said.
WHI has a new opportunity to reach African youth with the hope of Jesus Christ: "We have been invited by the government of Zambia to implement this program in all the high schools in Zambia. But frankly, we don't have the financial resources to do that," Erickson said.
It only costs about $10 to reach one student with the Reach4Life program. This price covers the cost of launching the programs, providing the books, training peer support, and analyzing the impact of the programs.
Prayer is also needed. "When we implement this program, we are running headfirst into some of the forces...that don't want biblical truth to be shared or to become the basis for the lives of young people for the future," Erickson said. "So we would just covet prayers for our staff and the volunteers that we support and equip to aid us in this process. They are the ones on the frontlines, and they need prayer support."
