Susan Schulz

Hope2Africa Vice President Karen Dingess, left, and President Becky Harris visit families in the Mkholombe squatter camp.

YOUTH:

The Most Important Investment in the World

BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ

The mission at Hope2Africa (H2A) is to pour the love of God into desperately impoverished youths in South Africa, to equip them to share the good news of the Gospel, and to raise up a generation of godly leaders.

“Our focus is to go deep instead of wide. Our desire is for the children to know and understand: We see you. We love you. You matter,” said Becky Harris, H2A president and founder. “Being seen and having someone believe in you can do wonders for your life. God is transforming lives through our ministry.”

On the U.S. side, Harris leads H2A in Cherokee County alongside her best friend, Vice President Karen Dingess. Together, they serve in the south coast area of KwazuluNatal, South Africa. Since they launched the ministry in 2007, they have taken 49 U.S. teams on mission trips there.

According to the World Population Review, South Africa is listed among the top 10 countries with the highest HIV rates. On top of this tragedy, the youth reached by H2A live in extreme poverty, and many are orphaned and regularly experience food insecurity.

When H2A began, the ministry trained South African youth to share the Gospel with their community through the arts, dramatic performances and singing. Over the last 15 years, the ministry has expanded, first by raising up indigenous leaders. There are nine young men and women on H2A staff, and two are seminary graduates. H2A invests in South African communities in the following ways:

• My Brother’s Table.

This carpentry training program for young men has a holistic approach. They learn a trade and are mentored in life and job skills and everyday responsibilities. They also perform outreach in the community, providing tables for families. With the food instability crisis, they provide garden tools needed to grow food.

• Art Performance Youth Team.

Every year, 22 children are chosen to be mentored, attend Bible studies, as well as plan and execute performances, three-day camps and more. These children learn the power of like-minded fellowship and gain the strength to stay on the right track.

• Leadership development.

An ongoing endeavor addressed through personally modeled mentorship and regular community service projects. Presently, Bible studies are offered in high schools.

• Compassion.

With prices skyrocketing, the extreme poverty these youth experience is getting worse. H2A meets the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter by providing weekly meals and quarterly groceries for families, as well as clothes and shoes for each youth member and school uniforms (when needed).

Zimbili Luhlwayo (Swinky) is one of the 22 children in the performance group. She is 16 years old and is in the 11th grade. She lives in Mkholombe with her mom, aunt, siblings and cousins. She loves to play volleyball and would love to be a dermatologist one day. “My favorite thing about being in H2A is how they communicate with each other and being involved in the dramas, because it shows what happens in real life,” Zimbili said. “One of the things that makes it hard to have hope is being surrounded by negative people who influence me to have negative thoughts.”

More than 350 youth members, from the Zulu and

2022 Hope2Africa youth art performance team.

Xhosa tribes, and close to 60,000 people have been reached with the Gospel.

If you would like to be a part of H2A, there are three ways to get involved and stay connected: 1. Join the weekly prayer team. Text the word “Prayer” to 833-413-0480 to receive a Sunday morning prayer request and update. 2. Sponsor a youth. Let an H2A youth know for sure that he or she is seen and loved by God through you. 3. Explore trip opportunities. Learn more about 12-day mission trips by contacting Karen at 770-715-3467, or emailing karen@ hope2africa.com.

Visit https://hope2africa.com for more information.

Susan Schulz is a Bible teacher and mentor who lives and plays on the Etowah River in Canton. Connect with her on social media or at susanbrowningschulz.com. Staff members visit the homes of Hope2Africa families to share the love of Christ and pray.