Getting it Done

Did you know that the average life expectancy in South Africa is less than 50 years?  This is about 30 years lower than the average in the US which is approaching 80.  30 years can seem like an entire lifetime, especially in the eyes of a young person.

We believe that with knowledge comes power - the power to make good choices, to plan for the future, and to live longer, healthier lives purposed by God.  With such knowledge and power, this generation can soar above the statistics, beating the odds currently stacked against them.

On February 22, the top 6 student leaders from 21 local schools, gathered for our first Impact youth leadership conference of the year.  The theme for 2012 is “Get It Done” with the emphasis on achieving healthy lifestyles, making God-honoring choices, and being positive role models. 

The teachings equipped students in 3 areas:  presentation skills, information on the leading causes of death in SA, and assessing one’s health.  In between, the students broke into small groups to practice skills, discuss lessons learned, and assess their own health risk factors. 

The topics were tough, as were the assignments, but the students were absolutely pumped for the challenge!  It was awesome to see them working together excited to learn and lead (and live longer!).

With hotdogs and homework in hand, these young leaders left knowing they were uniquely gifted and purposed by God to be His change agents.  Their long-term project includes teaching their peers what they’ve learned and facilitating health fairs at their schools.  We’re excited to see what these creative, empowered young leaders come up with!

Please pray for them.

Return on Investment

For the past 2 weeks, we have been celebrating FlashPoint graduations. What an incredible year this has been!

FlashPoint is our Leadership Development and AIDS prevention program in the schools. Our bi-weekly classes teach about topics such as living for God’s purpose, purity, character, HIV and AIDs, drugs and alcohol, and other tough issues youth face.

Over the year, our students have worked hard and grown in incredible ways. It’s a blessing to see young people being shaped, stretched and used by God, discovering His purpose for their lives.

As we celebrate the thousands of graduating students, we also celebrate our coaches who have invested so much into their students as teachers, mentors, counselors and friends. Their impact is seen on the faces of their students – in their smiles, laughter, and tears. Their impact is heard in each testimony shared. And their impact will continue as these students live what they’ve learned.

Please join in praying for our FlashPoint graduates, that they continue to grow as leaders for Christ.

More Than Conquerors

Words can’t even describe what it’s like to stand in the middle of 900 high schoolers cheering at the top of their lungs! That’s what our school assemblies have been like.

This week we are blessed by a team from Resurrection Life Church Mid Michigan and the Conquerors International Strength Team. They have been treating our youth to amazing feats of strength, music, and break-dancing and the kids absolutely love it!

But this team is so much more than conquerors. Along with these amazing gifts, they are also sharing the gift of hope in Jesus Christ.

With each powerful testimony shared, we see youth light up with the recognition that God loves them unconditionally and has a purpose and plan for their lives. A purpose that can be side-tracked by poor choices, or a lived out abundantly when lived for Christ.

We were talking to a teacher after one of the assemblies and she echoed the same thing. That her students were greatly impacted as they were challenged, inspired and equipped to surrender themselves to Jesus.

Please pray with us for the many youth who have made decisions to live their lives for Christ.

From Our Coaches

One of the many highlights with our Ignite Mission Team was the opportunity for them to meet our FlashPoint coaches, get to know them, and hear straight from their hearts. I thought it would be cool for you to hear from them as well.

We asked everyone to share their highlights from the year thus far, and here is what they had to say.

Thabang: Seeing kids giving their lives to Christ.

Pheelo: Reading testimonies from the kids and seeing how their efforts are really making a difference.

Joseph: Seeing learners become more open in sharing and seeking help about their personal struggles.

Thapelo: Having an opportunity to teach leadership lessons to his fellow coaches, and that Ignite is building him up as a leader so he can build others.

Pheko: Seeing growth in his learners, and seeing lives changed as kids apply what they learn.

Thulo: The impact Assemblies are having in new schools including many new commitments to Christ.

Amanda: Seeing the growth and boldness of each of the coaches.

Jill: Seeing the coaches use their gifts in mighty ways and also be willing to step out as God calls them to.

June: The huge step of faith each took as we made the transition from Thrive Africa to Ignite South Africa.

Dan: Learning so much from the leadership lessons, and being equipped as a leader and teacher.

Busisiwe: How the coaches work together as a team, and how they allow themselves to be stretched by God.

Amos: Being invited to speak to a 12^th grade class over the holiday break.

Constance: Teamwork among the coaches, and also opportunities to learn new skills and roles.

Dimakatso: Seeing how she is making a difference with her learners.

Nnini: Seeing learners being changed, and also growing as a leader herself including teaching leadership lessons to her fellow coaches.

Disebo: Having an impact and building friendships with the learners.

Sibongile: Teaching grade 9 where kids are older than she’s used to; at first she was intimidated, but now they know and like her, and the class is going so well.

The team was excited to meet our incredible coaching team – their passion for God and raising up young leaders is so evident! Please pray with us for each of our coaches and the impact they are having for Christ.

Making Melodies

This week I visited 2 school assemblies – what a hoot! Our FlashPoint coaches did such an amazing job!

Great singing, funny skits, powerful testimonies, such a special way of relating to the kids, all topped off with a wonderful talent for teaching God’s truths in ways young people can understand and get excited about. Kinda like a Triple Threat of ministry (if there is such a thing). And judging from kids responses, everyone had a great time!

Our assemblies are ½ day events for schools that do not currently have FlashPoint classes. It’s a way we can teach and inspire even more youth about God’s purpose for their lives. This year our goal is to reach 3500 kids.

We begin with a group assembly for all 7th- 9th graders filled with singing, testimonies and skits to teach valuable lessons. “Making Melodies In My Heart” was hilarious with the goofy motions. Even the teachers got into the action. Next Coach Thapelo shared about his struggles growing up poor and feeling like poverty would prevent him from achieving his goals and dreams. Thapelo shared how discovering God’s love, purpose and help changed his life, and how God will also help each young person become who they were created to be. The skit reinforced that lesson in a funny, memorable way. Afterwards, the kids divided into classrooms for a 2 hour lesson about Living on Purpose – one of our FlashPoint curriculums.

These assemblies have a great impact with the students, and the educators as well. We spoke with the principals and they were excited, thankful, and honored that Ignite South Africa came to their school.

Please join us in praying for our assembly schools – that these kids make godly decisions in their lives and that someday we’re able to expand with weekly classes for them.

Making an Impact

Young people have so many influences in their lives they often fail to realize the influence that they can be in the world around them, beginning with the choices they make.

On February 23rd, more than 400 youth and educators poured in for our first IMPACT youth conference of the year. The theme of “Arise and Shine” perfectly captures what the Lord expects from each of us. To shine His light in our schools, churches, and communities. To be godly influences. To make godly choices.

Each youth leadership conference will address a significant issue raised by our teachers and principals. This time the “hot topic” was about Sex and Choices. That sure got the kids attention!

The information was great, but it was the real life testimonies that cut straight to their hearts. Coach Thapelo shared about choosing sex before marriage, the consequences of his poor choices, and how Christ transformed his life. Coach Constance spoke about saving sex for marriage, withstanding peer pressure, and relying on God to stay pure.

But what about when kids have their choice stolen from them, such as through rape? June addressed this painful situation including how Christ can replace shame, anger and guilt with forgiveness, love and trust. We all have choices to make in every situation.

The youth were then given the choice to make a covenant with God to save themselves for marriage regardless of what may have happened in the past. Hundreds of youth responded.

What an amazing IMPACT!

FlashPoint Kicks Off

On Wednesday, FlashPoint kicked off the 2011 school year with a luncheon for our Principals and Teachers. It was such a blessing for us to honor, serve, and thank those who give so much to teach the youth of Qwa Qwa. It was also an opportunity to share our vision, mission and goals for the FlashPoint program, to review the curriculum and answer questions. Our guests were encouraged and excited about the work being done in their schools.

We could not reach the more than 4000 youth without the support of the Department of Education, its Principals and Teachers. Nor could we without the leadership of our amazing coach team. So what a blessing it was for them to build relationships and share a meal together.

Speaking of goals, here are some for 2011:

- To teach over 4,200 students in 13 schools during our bi-weekly classes
- To conduct quarterly Impact leadership conferences for more than 420 students from 21 schools
- To conduct 13 assembly programs reaching thousands more youth with Christ’s hope, purpose and truth.

It definitely takes a team to achieve these goals, and I thank God for the people He has brought together to do so - those who labor here, and those who support from all over the world.

FlashPoint

For the youth in South Africa, the odds seem against them.

•1 in 4 people have HIV/AIDS
•1 in 3 youth have lost a parent, and 1 in 5 have lost both
•1 in 5 youth have been raped or molested
•1 in 4 homes don’t have enough to eat, and 2 in 5 have no one employed
•2 in 3 youth don’t think they are smart enough to achieve their dreams
•1 in 10 don’t believe they will ever have a job

While the statistics are overwhelming, God’s potential and purpose for our youth is greater. That’s where FlashPoint comes in…

FlashPoint’s mission is to model, equip, and multiply godly leaders among our youth empowering them to lead with positive impact.

In partnership with South Africa’s Department of Education, FlashPoint mentors at-risk youth through leadership training, HIV/AIDS prevention, and life skills development which is accomplished through godly national men and women we call “coaches”.

Mr. Mokuena, Acting Director, TMed stated, ”Noting the influence that the programme has brought to our learners in the schools they have worked with…the District continues to allow [Ignite South Africa] a grace to work with the number of the schools that the institution can handle.” So once again we are blessed with district-wide approval to teach in the public schools in 2011 and beyond.

We are thrilled with this open door, and the confidence the school district has invested in our team. This year we will be teaching in 12 schools, reaching over 3500 learners in our biweekly classes. Additionally, we will hold quarterly youth leadership conferences and impact 13 additional schools through our Living on Purpose and Get Real Assemblies.

Our prayer is that each of our learners will experience the love of God and truth He has for their individual circumstances, and they will learn to trust Him to meet all of their needs.

Christmas Blessings

I hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year! I sure did!! One blessing for me was helping to deliver Christmas food parcels to our team of coaches – 16 young men and women so dedicated to mentoring young people through our school program.

While December is a time to celebrate Christ with family and friends, it can also be a hardship for our coaches. School is on break resulting in decreased wages, and most of our coaches provide the primary support for their immediate and even extended families. We so wanted to bless them during this season, but with beginning a new ministry, finances are tight on our end as well…

That’s when God showed up big-time, and through the generous support of others we raised enough money to provide each family with more than a month’s supply of food. Flour, sugar, beans, maize meal, rice, oil, canned fish, and sweet treats as well.

They were so overjoyed at the consideration and generosity. Over and over they thanked the Lord for His provision and for those who gave to bless them at Christmas. Our coaches also loved introducing us to their families and having their family pictures taken. It was a great day and a great way to celebrate the true meaning of the season.