A boy named Brian, dust roads and more…

I am sitting at the airport after a long trip into the bush here in Zambia.  It was one of those long drives on just dust and gravel roads, it was really hard on the body. I spent 4 days with our friend the Senior Commissioner of the Zambian Police, travelling deep into Barotse land in the western part of Zambia.Barotse is a land filled with wonder, amazement and poverty.  I saw kids sitting on the ground with their mothers playing and working together.  I wondered why they were not at school and I found out that they couldn’t afford the 2300 kwacha, which is about 3-4 dollars i.e. R20-R30 to buy soap to wash their clothes. These were the children of the lands affairs Induna (headmen). My mind raced through all the conclusions this statement made – IF a headmen is so poor and his kids are in such shape what would the situation of a child from a normal family be?

I also learnt amazing things about their beliefs and their supernatural experiences. Juju and other witchdoctor apparel is more common than Jesus and the Bible in this “Christian Nation”. I was told of witch doctors changing into crocodiles and dead men changing into lions and how poachers cannot be shot and bullets bouncing off them because they are bewitched and stronger than the normal police.  I was also told of how the command who believe in Christ would pray and after that were able to find the poachers.

I met pastors who confess that very little to nothing is being invested in the lives of their children.  I saw children every where, it is common for each family to have 6 or more children. Children have become the security of these leaders, they exist to ensure that the older generation is cared for.

We live in a world of such contrasts and at times when I enter this world from the one I know in South Africa, I get overwhelmed thinking of how uneven these worlds are and how little is being done for the children in these parts of the world.  I think of the adults we are raising and think of the Gospel that has been watered down with all these cultural beliefs and wonder…

After a long road trip to see these areas and to start planning our strategy in the areas we have seen, I was invited to the Thanksgiving event from the Southern Province Police Command.  The Commissioner who is a Christian woman wanted me to introduce to her whole command in the province the projects we will be launching with them.  Pastors and other clergy were also present.

This group of leaders danced and thanked God for having 3 meals and not just 2 or 1 a day.  This really humbled me because we have so much to be thankful for.  I began to think when was the last time I thanked God for 3 meals not just 2 or 1?

In the next season we believe God for much in Zambia.  We trust Him for roads where there are none.  To raise men and women of God and to show us how we can be part of this movement to see children, youth and families impacted.

Please continue to pray with us for the work in our region and specially think tonight of the children who are in Zambia, a world lost in time and bound by so much.

“God give us Zambia for Your Kingdom! Jesus, please do not come yet! Please allow us to impact these children with your word and love!”

If you want to know more about how we can help the kids and families in Zambia, contact me and I will share more and we can work out a plan together.

For the children,

Jacques and Lizzy van Bommel

jacques@rag.org.za

Reaching a Generation is enthusiastic about a new programme that will be launched soon. Here is a sneak preview: Go to the ‘Education‘ section of the Reaching a Generation website and click on ‘The National Chaplaincy programme‘. We can’t wait to reveal to you what we are planning and how you can be a part of it.  Please stay close to us and we will be revealing what you can do to make a difference in 2012?

Will you be ready?

We saw great collaborations and mind-boggling achievements with programmes like ‘Light Up our World with SARO‘ where we partnered with the Tswane University of Technology. Students launched creative and fun peer-to-peer campaigns, which they used to share their HIV prevention message with their fellow students. We are excited about what 2012 has in store for us. Watch this space, as we will continuously update you.

In 2011 Reaching a Generation launched the REACH Mentorship Programme which is a an institution that aims to mentor young leaders with strong spiritual conviction and a firm value system so that they may return to their communities and implement ideas that will ensure that true transformation is the only possible result. The 5 months long curriculum is designed to expose students to different ways they can serve their community and equip them with the necessary skills to manage these projects. So far we have had 2 groups of students who have successfully launched life-impacting programmes in their communities. We look forward to bringing personal updates on their work. REACH Mentorship Programme has seen such growth and we are excited about the arrival of the first group for 2012 in February.

We hosted our second annual AMAB conference last year where we had 27 representatives from 10 African countries. What an amazing platform for influential leaders in authority where they can share successful methods of tackling children related issues as they come across them in their own countries. 2012 promises to be bigger and better. We look forward to hosting leaders from the African continent once again.

Join us once again on this journey as we continue to influence the influencers in the lives of our children and youth, so that they may be better equipped to shape and nurture these young lives. We think of the incredible potential that lies in the hands of our Life Orientation teachers who will be trained in the iMatter programme. We are touched by the unequalled training and support the parents and guardians of children aged between 9 and 12 years old will receive this year through the Families Matter programme. We long to see our friends and supporters who wholly give of themselves and pour truth and wisdom into the lives of learners during our weeklong ILA (International Leadership Academy) camps hosted at Shikwaru Lodge. In all of this, what would do without the support of the church? The evangelists and who tirelessly go into schools and preach the Good News as well as the men-of-God who open their doors to our programmes and resources like Our Family, The Godman, The Book of Hope and 17 Stories.

There is so much more in 2012 and we urge you to continue with us as we create a movement…

HAVE A LOOK…

at the Reaching a Generation 2011 Annual Report

These are the programs that ‘Hope Ride‘ raised funds for:

Life Orientation Teacher Training

• This program aims to develop the knowledge, skill and capacity of the Department of Basic Education’s Grade R to 7 Life Orientation teachers to teach HIV prevention education with a clear AB message.

International Leadership Academy

• This is a week long camp, which focuses on empowering young leaders to launch effective community programs where they live. This is done through the Department of Education in a few provinces in South Africa.

‘Hope Ride‘ spanned over 3 days:

Day 1 – Botswana to SA border;

Day 2 – SA border to Vaalwater;

Day 3 – Vaalwater to Mokopane.

The Cycling Challenge in Action

On the 4^th to the 6^th of October, 5 cyclists committed to race from Botswana to South Africa in order to raise money for the production of ministry resources as well as the youth leadership development in the Southern African region.

The Cyclists who accepted the challenge:

North Carolina, USA:

1. David Crabtree
2. David Peele
3. John McMains

South Africa

1. Cassio Da Sousa
2. Armand Brits

They journey kick started in Selebiphikwe, Botswana with a Book of Hope distribution to a little over 300 learners and their 20 teachers. Botswana Police officials escorted the cyclists for about 150 km until they reached the border. They overnighted in Baltimore on the 5th of October and continued on their 2^nd leg of the ride to Vaalwater on the 6th. They left Vaalwater on the 7^th of October and finished their three-day trek at Ithuteng Lower Primary School, South Africa with a Book of Hope distribution.

The 5th of October marked ‘World Teacher’s Day’ and we celebrated committed teachers who still choose to be in the teaching profession.

The International Leadership Academy confirms what it means to really touch lives, we see lives of teachers and learners transformed at everyone of these meeting. Teachers, learners and volunteers are all in such a safe space that we also see relationships built during this time. Here is an example of relationships built during ILA.

The five cyclists, three from America and two from Africa, are endeavoring to complete this arduous challenge in only three days in order to raise funds for education in Botswana and South Africa.

Called Hope Ride, this exciting undertaking has already captured media and public attention, both of which are expected to build exponentially as the cyclists near the finish line.

Today’s journey will begin in Selebiphikwe and will end in Baltimor, South Africa, where the cyclists will begin part two of their trip tomorrow morning. They will then spend tomorrow night in Vaalwater, South Africa before beginning the final third of their journey on Thursday.

What amazing effort and dedication on the part of these five men to make a difference in our nation by empowering our educators with the resources they need to impact our children! (The aim is to raise more than R500 000.00 for leadership development and educator’s empowerment in Botswana and South Africa.

Even as these cyclists are beginning Hope Ride, the International Leadership Academy (ILA) at Shikwaru Game Lodge in Sterkrivier is in full swing. Learners and educators arrived Sunday afternoon, and yesterday experienced a day filled with learning, challenges — and yes, fun!

Today the learners in their first year at ILA will visit a local community, talking with the residents in preparation for doing a community project to be completed there before the week is over. Learners are given zero budget with which to complete their projects, so they will contend with real-world conditions as they learn how to make a difference.

Learners in their second and third years at ILA are likewise busy learning new leadership principles, in preparation for completing their next assigned community projects.

Limpopo, get ready. This is going to be a great week!
A Huge thank you for the Sponsors of this event:

Nieuwco Recycling, FNB Mokopane, Toyota Naboomspruit, Rotary club Mokopane, Rotary Club Selebiphikwe Botswana, Rotary club Greensborough North Carolina, Calvary Church Greensborough, Growth Point Church Mokopane (AFM), Shikwaru Lodge and Many individuals from Mokopane and other parts of the country.

For more info, email communications@rag.org.za

‘Hope Ride’ is a three day cycling challenge that aims to ensure that quality programmes offered by Reaching a Generation and their partners (Rotary International and Hope Education), may continue in South Africa. These are the programmes:

Life Orientation Teacher Training

• This programme aims to develop the knowledge, skill and capacity of the Department of Basic Education’s Grade R to 7 Life Orientation teachers to teach HIV prevention education with a clear AB message.

International Leadership Academy

• This is a week long camp, which focuses on empowering young leaders to launch effective community programmes where they live. This is done through the Department of Education in a few provinces.

Day 1 – Botswana to SA border;

Day 2 – SA border to Vaalwater;

Day 3 – Vaalwater to Mokopane.

The last day will end in an event at Shikwaru Lodge in Mokopane, where an announcement of how much was raised will be made.

For more information, visit www.rag.org.za to learn more about these programmes and to support our Hope Ride cyclists and to also send them encouraging messages….

like ‘Reaching a Generation‘ page on Facebook to stay informed during the race. Follow us on Twitter @ReachingaGen and do not forget to add hashtag #HopeRide to your tweets.

Enquiries: E-mail: communications@rag.org.za.

Hope Ride…2 Nations – 6 cyclists – 3 days!

SA CES TM_4-7-1-1 (Grade 4 – 7)

SA CES TM_8-9 2 (Grade 8 – 9)